A Nockamixon Township, Bucks County woman was charged with third-degree murder Thursday for her alleged role in an Aug. 30 fatal head-on crash on Rt. 611 in Bedminster Township. A 21-year-old driver was killed and his 20-year-old girlfriend was seriously injured in the accident.
Jaclyn Jones
Jaclyn Jones, 30, of the first block of Foellner Lane, Ottsville, was impaired by a mixture of drugs and was driving with a DUI-suspended license when her northbound Jeep Patriot crossed a double-yellow center line and struck a southbound Saturn SL1 sedan driven by Christopher Marinelli shortly after 9 p.m., a probable cause affidavit states.
Marinelli, of Bedminster, died at the scene of multiple blunt force trauma injuries.
His passenger, Gabrialle Otero, also of Bedminster, was flown to Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia with serious injuries.
Jones was taken to St. Luke’s University Hospital in Bethlehem, where police obtained a legal blood sample, the affidavit states. Testing by NMS Labs revealed that Jones’ blood contained amphetamine, clonazepam, oxycodone, topiramate and fentanyl in concentrations sufficient to have rendered her impaired, the affidavit states.
Jones was arraigned Thursday afternoon before Magisterial District Judge Gary Gambardella on charges including third-degree murder, aggravated assault, homicide by vehicle while DUI and aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI.
Gambardella set her bail at $1 million, with a 10 percent cash option.
As of Monday she remained incarcerated at the Bucks County Correctional Facility in Doylestown in lieu of that amount, according to court records.
Two witnesses who had been in a vehicle in front of Jones on Rt. 611 told police her Jeep had been swerving and driving at irregular speeds, closing to within a half-vehicle length of their car before backing off, the documents state.
According to the affidavit, Jones’ parents told police their daughter takes prescription drugs as a result of Lyme Disease, including oxycodone and clonazepam. They said she typically took the oxycodone around 8 p.m.
The court documents say that Jones has had two DUI convictions–one alcohol-related, the other drug-related. Her license was suspended as a result, but Jones successfully applied to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation for an Occupational Limited License (OLL), which permitted her to drive to and from work and school.
Jones’ mother stated that her daughter had been out shopping before the crash, and police found a receipt in Jones’ Jeep for a purchase made at the Willow Grove Park Mall just before 8 p.m. “Because the defendant was not permitted to drive to the mall, the defendant was driving in violation of the OLL, and thus on a DUI suspended license at the time of this fatal crash,” the affidavit said.
Because of her prior offenses, Jones had been required to complete a county DUI education program, the affidavit states. “Thus, this defendant was specifically educated as to the known risks of driving while impaired, and she consciously disregarded those risks,” it said.
The crash was investigated by the Bedminster Township Police Department and the District Attorney’s crash investigation team.
It will be prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Robert D. James, Chief of the Homicide by Vehicle Division.
Jones’ preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 5 before Gambardella.
Note: This story is based upon a news release from the Bucks County District Attorney’s office.
