Authorities say a man from Ocean County will be spending the next five years in prison and he will never be able to drive again in connection to a fatal crash in 2019.

Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer says 56-year-old Douglas Thompson of Jackson was sentenced following a guilty plea to a death by auto charge. In addition to the jail time, a judge ordered Thompson's driving privileges be suspended for life.

Thompson had also pleaded guilty to DWI for which he was sentenced to 180 days in jail to run concurrent with the five-year state prison term.

56-year-old Douglas Thompson of Jackson - Photo: Ocean County Prosecutor's Office
56-year-old Douglas Thompson of Jackson - Photo: Ocean County Prosecutor's Office
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Billhimer's office says,

On October 15, 2019, Toms River Township Police were dispatched to the intersection of Route 9 and Stevens Road for a report of a motor vehicle accident. Thomas Marciano, 65, of Toms River, was stopped behind a motor vehicle making a left-hand turn when he was struck from behind by a vehicle operated by Thompson. Mr. Marciano was transported to Community Medical Center and was subsequently flown to Jersey Shore Medical Center due to the severity of his injuries. Mr. Marciano ultimately succumbed to those injuries on October 28, 2019. Thompson submitted to chemical breath testing on the date of the crash, which revealed his Blood Alcohol Concentration to be .17 percent – more than double the legal limit under New Jersey law for purposes of alcohol consumption.

Billhimer says numerous agencies and organizations were involved in this case, including the Toms River Township Police Department; Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office's Vehicular Homicide, Victim Witness Advocacy, and Crime Scene Investigation units, Toms River EMS, and Silverton EMS.

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