An 81-year-old woman faces vehicular homicide and vehicular manslaughter charges in connection with a crash that killed a 69-year-old grandfather.
Jackson Township police said Barbara J. O’Donnell drove into Angello’s 2 Go pizza shop when she accidentally stepped on her vehicle’s accelerator instead of the brake pedal on Oct 4.
O’Donnell is also charged with operating a vehicle without reasonable control, a minor misdemeanor.
The charges come one day after News 5 Investigators revealed how a lack of regulations for aging drivers has serious and fatal consequences on our roadways.
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The crash killed Andrew Grosschmidt, 69, who was standing at the restaurant’s front counter when O’Donnell accidentally drove her vehicle through the front of the business, according to the police report.
Vehicular homicide is a first-degree misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. Vehicular manslaughter is a second-degree misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to 90 days in jail and a $750 fine.