By: Najla Alexander
Authorities in Ocean County announced that Tremel Haskins, 41, of South Toms River, was charged with Vehicular Homicide in connection with the death of Marie Bellavista, 57, also of South Toms River, that occurred on June 7, in South Toms River.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer stated that on June 7, at approximately 3:50 a.m., officers from the South Toms River Police Department responded to a residence on Colgate Drive for a report of an individual having been struck by a motor vehicle.
Responding Officers discovered Ms. Bellavista deceased in the roadway, Ocean County officials say
According to Ocean County officials, an investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad and South Toms River Police Department determined that Tremel Haskins, 41, of South Toms River, was operating the cab of a Volvo semi-truck when he struck the victim.
Haskins then drove away from the scene, OCPO authorities said. Detectives located Haskins and the semi-truck in the parking lot of the Walmart store on Route 37 in Toms River.
Haskins was taken into custody without incident and initially charged with the motor vehicle offenses of Driving While Intoxicated, Careless Driving, Operating a Vehicle Without Insurance, and Operating an Unregistered Vehicle. In furtherance of the investigation, Haskins was transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River, where a draw of his blood was obtained pursuant to a court-authorized warrant, Ocean County officials stated.
OCPO officials said that on June 9, Detectives executed a court-authorized search warrant on the Volvo truck. As a result, Detectives seized a loaded .38 caliber Colt revolver. Further investigation revealed that Haskins had two prior convictions for Distribution of Narcotics, making him a person prohibited from possessing a firearm lawfully.
As a consequence, on June 17, Haskins was charged with being a Certain Person Not to Possess a Weapon and Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, Ocean County officials said. On that same date, Haskins surrendered himself to South Toms River Police Headquarters.
He was transported to the Ocean County Jail and subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey's Bail Reform.
Laboratory results relative to the draw of Haskins’ blood - received by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Vehicular Homicide Unit - revealed that Haskins had an Active THC (marijuana) level of 14 nanograms (ng) with a Metabolite THC level of 100 ng, indicating that Haskins was a recent, active user of marijuana at the time of the crash, and that he could not safely operate a motor vehicle.
According to Ocean County officials, on July 31, a warrant was issued for Haskins’ arrest, and his name was entered into the National Crime Information Center database. Then Haskins was taken into custody by Officers from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office.
He was transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he is presently lodged pending a detention hearing, OCPO officials stated.