Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson and Somerset County Chief of County Detective John W. Fodor announced that Amy Locane, 48 of Hopewell Borough was sentenced today to serve eight years in State Prison for vehicular homicide and assault-by-auto that occurred in Montgomery Township in June 2010.
Prosecutor Robertson stated today's sentencing was the culmination of eight years of appellate litigation in which three prior sentencings were reversed on appeal by the State Appellate Division.
Prosecutor Robertson stated that on Sunday, June 27, 2010, Fred and Helene Seeman were returning to their Montgomery Township Home from a nearby restaurant.
As the victims turned onto the driveway of their home, their vehicle was broadsided by a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe being operated by Amy Locane.
The driver, Fred Seeman, 62, sustained serious bodily injuries that included seven fractured ribs and a punctured lung. The passenger, Helene Seeman, 62, was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Locane, who sustained minor injuries, was immediately arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and transported to a nearby hospital for a blood draw.
Prosecutor Robertson stated a forensic investigation conducted by the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Collision Analysis Reconstruction Unit (C.A.R.T) and Montgomery Township Police confirmed that the defendant's SUV was speeding 53 mph in a 35 mph zone with a blood-alcohol concentration of approximately .230% at the time of the collision.
Prosecutor Robertson stated, prior to the collision, the defendant had fled a minor hit-and-run at the traffic light controlling Route 206 and Cherry Valley Road in nearby Princeton Township.
Prosecutor Robertson stated defendant Locane was ultimately convicted by a jury verdict on November 27, 2012, of second-degree vehicular homicide and third-degree assault by auto.
On February 14, 2013, the defendant was sentenced to serve three years in State Prison. The State appealed the sentence.
On June 22, 2016, the Appellate Division vacated and remanded the sentence for another sentencing proceeding.
Prosecutor Robertson stated defendant Locane was re-sentenced on January 13, 2017, to the same three-year sentence.
The State appealed the sentence, and on March 23, 2018, the Appellate Division vacated the second sentence and remanded the matter to another Judge to impose a sentence in accord with its published opinion.
Prosecutor Robertson stated the defendant's third sentence occurred on February 15, 2019, where the defendant was sentenced to serve five years in State Prison, which was again appealed by the State.
Prosecutor Robertson stated, recently, on July 22, the Appellate Division again vacated the defendant's third sentence and remanded the matter again to the Law Division for a fourth sentencing proceeding with instructions for the new sentencing Judge to comply with its earlier decisions.
Today, the defendant was sentenced to eight years in State Prison while acknowledging that the defendant voluntarily served 30.6 months in State Prison during the eight years of appellate litigation.
The defendant will receive credit for time already served.