Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina announced that a 27-year-old Mount Laurel man pled guilty today in Superior Court to driving impaired when causing a crash in Willingboro earlier this year that killed his 4-year-old son and injured the boy’s twin brother.
Ossie Thomas pled guilty to one count of Vehicular Homicide (Second Degree), one count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child (Second Degree), and one count of Driving While Intoxicated (Municipal Summons).
The results of toxicology tests performed on blood drawn from Thomas after the crash revealed he had marijuana in his system and a blood alcohol content of .125 percent. Thomas did not dispute the results of the report.
The Hon. Christopher J. Garrenger, J.S.C., scheduled sentencing for September 11, at which time the state will request a sentence of eight years in New Jersey state prison.
The investigation began after Willingboro Township Police Department patrol officers were called to the area of Rancocas Road and Primrose Lane just before 2 p.m. on January 8, 2019 for a report of a motor vehicle crash.
The investigation revealed that Thomas was traveling east on Rancocas Road at a high rate of speed and attempted to turn onto Primrose Lane. He lost control of the vehicle and veered into a wooded area near the intersection.
One of the twins was pronounced dead an hour later at Lourdes Medical Center of Burlington County in Willingboro. The other child was taken to Cooper University Medical Center in Camden and treated for a traumatic brain injury.
Thomas is being prosecuted by BCPO Assistant Prosecutor Joshua Dennis, supervisor of the BCPO Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit. The investigation was conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office, the Willingboro Township Police Department and the New Jersey State Police Fatal Accident Investigation Unit.
The lead investigators were BCPO Detective Melvin Rogers and Willingboro Police Detectives Gil Quinones and Monica Podraza.
2019-68 Willingboro Fatal Accident Plea