A Long Branch man has been sentenced to five years in state prison for striking and killing a Marlboro woman in 2013 while he was driving under the influence of Xanax, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced.
Joseph Stovall, 48, was sentenced by state Superior Court Judge Richard W. English, sitting in Freehold, on Nov. 4, according to a press release.
Stovall must serve 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole
under the No Early Release Act. Additionally, Stovall received a lifetime license
suspension, prohibiting him from ever driving in New Jersey again, and he will be under parole supervision for three years following his release from prison, according to the press release.
On Sept. 11, 2013 at 7:45 p.m., Long Branch police officers responded to a
report of a motor vehicle accident on Joline Avenue. Victoria Tropper, 21, of Marlboro, who was a student at Monmouth University, and Thomas Triano, 49, of Cherry Hill, were involved in a minor fender bender and pulled their vehicles into the shoulder of the road to inspect the damage and exchange information.
Tropper and Triano were standing between their vehicles when a Dodge Ram pickup truck driven by Stovall swerved into the shoulder, colliding with Tropper’s vehicle and pushing it into Triano, causing multiple lacerations, before striking and killing Tropper.
In June, Stovall pleaded guilty to second degree vehicular homicide in connection with the death of Tropper and fourth degree assault by auto for injuries suffered by Triano.
During his plea, Stovall admitted he was driving under the influence of Xanax despite not having a valid prescription for the drug. As part of his plea agreement with the state, prosecutors recommended Stovall receive a sentence of five years in prison, according to the press release.
