MEC&F Expert Engineers : 09/23/17

Saturday, September 23, 2017

Scott Christopher Reid, Jr., a lineman from Sebring, Fla., who worked at T & D Solutions died after falling from the fifth floor of a parking garage as he was stationed in Fort Lauderdale to restore electricity post Hurricane Irma






In town to help restore power after Irma, utility worker dies after falling 5 stories


By Monique O. Madan



September 21, 2017 5:34 PM




An out-of-town power utility worker who was stationed in Fort Lauderdale to restore electricity post Hurricane Irma, died after falling from the fifth floor of a parking garage, police said.

Fort Lauderdale police officials identified the worker as 26-year-old Scott Christopher Reid, Jr., a lineman from Sebring, Fla., who worked at T & D Solutions. The business is one of hundreds of power companies dispatched to help with storm recovery efforts.

It was around 5:25 a.m on Sunday when Reid was preparing for work and standing near his truck at the Westin Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort garage, located at 321 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., when he fell and died, police said.


It is still unclear how Reid fell. Police would not provide additional information.

Reid was married and had two young daughters. His funeral is scheduled for Saturday at the Fort Green Baptist Church in Bowling Green, Fla. with visitation at 1 p.m. A 2 p.m. service will follow.


“Chris was an avid Gator fan, enjoyed fishing, riding four-wheelers, being a jokester and just having a good time,” according to an online obituary. “He loved line work and his job. Chris also loved spending time with his family, especially his daughters.


Life Legacy


Scott Christopher Reid, Jr. age 26 passed away on Sunday, September 17, 2017 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL while working storm damage due to Hurricane Irma. He was born November 9, 1990 in Arcadia, FL. Chris was an avid Gator fan, enjoyed fishing, riding 4 wheelers, being a jokester and just having a good time. He loved line work and his job with T & D Solutions. Chris also loved spending time with his family, especially his daughters.



He is preceded in death by his by his grandfather’s Donald Reid and Luther Hulon Sasser; uncle Rufus Sasser.



Scott is survived by his wife Chelsea Reid and daughters Meyan and Paisley Reid of Sebring; parents Scott and Stephanie Reid, brother Hunter Reid, grandparents Margie and Ronnie Albritton, and great grandmother Elizabeth Abbott all of Ft. Green; grandmother Sharron Reid of MI; mother-in-law Yolanda Goolsby of Wauchula; father-in-law Jeff Goolsby of Panama City; sisters-in-law Ashley Goolsby and fiancé Trevor Boyette of Wauchula, Catherine and Chance Goolsby of Panama City; numerous uncles, aunts cousins, nieces and nephews.



Visitation will be held on Saturday, September 23, 2017 at Ft. Green Baptist Church 2875 Baptist Church Road, Bowling Green, FL from 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm with service beginning at 2:00 pm. Burial will follow at Ft. Green Baptist Cemetery with Rev. Steve McGaughey officiating.


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Police investigating death of Hardee lineman


By GARY PINNELL


FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Detectives are investigating the death of a Hardee County lineman who fell Sunday from a parking garage.
The circumstances surrounding his death are unclear, WFLA reported. The incident happened at 5:25 a.m. at 321 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd.
Police said Scott Christopher Reid, 26, was leaving for work and was standing near his work truck when he fell from the 5th floor of the parking garage. Fort Lauderdale Police Department said detectives are investigating. No further details are available, the TV station reported.



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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WFLA) – Fort Lauderdale Police Department detectives are investigating the death of a Hardee County lineman who fell from a parking garage early Sunday morning.

The incident happened around 5:25 a.m. at the garage on 321 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd. Google shows a Westin hotel at that location.

Police said Scott Christopher Reid, 26, was getting ready to leave for work and was standing near his work truck when he fell from the 5th floor of the parking garage. Reid, who goes by Chris, often works in Fort Lauderdale for T&D Solutions.

“As a line wife, you always prepare yourself for that phone call. Your husband’s hurt or husband’s in the hospital. But you never expect to get it,” said his widow Chelsea Reid.

The circumstances surrounding his death are still unclear and his family is looking for answers.

“Honestly, there’s a lot of things in my mind. Everything,” she said.

A Fort Lauderdale Police Department spokeswoman said detectives are actively investigating his death and no further details are available at this time.

Scott is survived by his wife and two daughters. Those close to him said he was an avid Gators fan, enjoyed fishing, riding 4-wheelers, joking around and having a good time.

“Everyone keeps telling me how great of a guy he was,” Chelsea said. “It helps a lot.”

A viewing will be held Saturday, September 23 at Ft. Green Baptist Church in Bowling Green from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. The service will begin at 2 p.m. and the burial will follow.

A GoFundMe page was created to help his family during this difficult time.

INSURANCE FRAUD: FORMER PASSAIC COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICER RONALD A. LUCAS LIED DURING HIS GRAND JURY TESTIMONY WHEN HE CLAIMED THAT HE INJURED HIS LEFT SHOULDER DURING A FALL AT A WAYNE TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY PROPERTY. HE IN FACT HAD PRIOR INJURIES BY PLAYING FOOTBALL FOR MANY YEARS AND LIFTING WEIGHTS




FORMER PASSAIC COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICER RONALD A. LUCAS LIED DURING HIS GRAND JURY TESTIMONY WHEN HE CLAIMED THAT HE INJURED HIS LEFT SHOULDER DURING A FALL AT A WAYNE TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY PROPERTY.  HE IN FACT HAD PRIOR INJURIES BY PLAYING FOOTBALL FOR MANY YEARS AND LIFTING WEIGHTS
As part of an investigation we have been performing, we discovered that Ronald A. Lucas, a former Passaic County sheriff officer with the Civil Division lied about his on-the-job shoulder injury.  Lucas claimed that he fell on the job on June 28, 2011 at 687 Indian Road, Wayne, NJ and that he injured his left shoulder requiring several pins.   He then filed a disability claim with the New Jersey Division of Pensions and Benefits (Police and Firemen Retirement System).  He was granted disability for one year with subsequent review.  After he retired with claimed disability, he obtained a job as part-time security guard at the Pequannock High School.
We discovered that Mr. Lucas suffered shoulder injuries while playing football and lifting heavy weights over his lifetime.  He was a linebacker with the Pompton Lakes Cardinals, using his shoulder to hit and tackle his opponents during practice and during football games.  We are attaching a picture showing that he was #41 in the Cardinal’s Pompton Lake football team.  Lucas has fallen on his shoulder probably thousand times during his athletic and training career.
Everybody knows that linebackers hit and tackle their opponents using their shoulders.  These athletes also lift heavy weights and they end-up injuries their shoulders.   He even made the All County Team in 1980, showing how hard he was working out.  Based on our investigation, we found that weight lifting athletes do suffer shoulder injuries of the type claimed by Lucas.
He also trained his two sons (Dean Lucas and Ronnie Lucas) into playing TE and DE positions also with the Cardinals football team.  In fact, linebackers suffer at least 13.5 percent of all football injuries and at least 65 percent of the linebackers end up undergoing surgery.
We have obtained photos showing Mr. Lucas lifting weights, after his alleged job-ending disability.  See for example the attached image that is dated December 2013.
It is obvious to a reasonable and objective person that Lucas (in his mid-50s) took this incident on June 28, 2011 to claim on-the job-injury to be able to repair his previously injured shoulder at taxpayers’ expense and to retire and then blame Basilis Stephanatos for his injuries.  After he retired, he started the double dipping.  The finest of New Jersey at "work".  But he was caught and he will face the consequences.

REPEAT OFFENDERS: MANY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS LIE ABOUT THEIR ON-THE-JOB INJURY SO THAT THEY COLLECT BENEFITS WHILE WORKING AT A SECOND JOB: San Diego sheriff's deputy Matthew Tobolsky, 40, faces 14 counts including insurance fraud, filing a false claim, attempted perjury and failing to disclose information that affects a payment



San Diego sheriff's deputy faces felony charges in insurance fraud case 


Dana Littlefield

REPEAT OFFENDERS: MANY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS LIE ABOUT THEIR ON-THE-JOB INJURY SO THAT THEY COLLECT BENEFITS WHILE WORKING AT A SECOND JOB


A local sheriff’s deputy, who claimed he had suffered a back injury but may have been seen working out with heavy weights at a gym, has been charged with committing workers compensation insurance fraud resulting in $57,000 in losses, prosecutors announced Monday.

Matthew Tobolsky, 40, faces 14 counts including insurance fraud, filing a false claim, attempted perjury and failing to disclose information that affects a payment, according to the District Attorney’s Office.

The charges carry a potential sentence of up to 15 years in custody, which would most likely be served in county jail.

Reached by phone Monday afternoon, Tobolsky denied the allegations.

“I can tell you that all these charges are 100 percent false,” he told a Union-Tribune reporter.

He declined to elaborate, saying, “Other than that I don’t think it would be a good idea to make any other comments. … I hope the truth comes out.”


Tobolsky has not yet had an opportunity to enter a plea in the case. He is scheduled to be arraigned in San Diego Superior Court Wednesday afternoon.

According to the District Attorney’s Office, Tobolsky claimed in January that he had injured his back from lifting two five-gallon water bottles. But an investigation, initiated by the Sheriff’s Department, indicated Tobolsky had misrepresented his physical condition and what he could or could not do.

Authorities said Tobolsky told medical professionals that he was suffering from debilitating pain and was unable to do light duty on the job. But the investigation revealed he was able to work out with weights at a gym.

Of the $57,000 in losses, $46,000 was paid directly to the defendant, prosecutors said.

The Sheriff’s Department investigated the case with help from the state Department of Insurance and the District Attorney’s Office’s Insurance Fraud Division.




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SAN DIEGO, CA— Arraignment is scheduled Wednesday for a San Diego County sheriff’s deputy who allegedly scammed insurers out of tens of thousands of dollars via bogus workers’ compensation claims.

Matthew Tobolsky, 40, faces eight counts of insurance fraud, two counts of filing a false claim, three counts of attempted perjury and one count of failing to disclose information that affects a payment, according to the District Attorney’s Office. If convicted on all counts, he would be in line for a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.

After claiming a back injury from lifting five-gallon water bottles eight months ago, Tobolsky allegedly misrepresented his physical condition and abilities repeatedly, working out with heavy weights at a gym while telling physicians he was suffering from debilitating pain and unable to perform even light duty, according to prosecutors.

Tobolsky’s alleged crimes resulted in $57,000 worth of losses, $46,000 of which was paid directly to him, officials said. Such fraud costs California taxpayers an estimated $4 billion annually, according to District Attorney Summer Stephan.

The case against the six-year department member shows that the public “can be assured no one is above the law and (that) our employees will be held accountable if they violate the public’s trust,” Sheriff Bill Gore said.

The defendant, whose most recent assignment with the sheriff’s department was an administrative position at the agency’s Kearny Mesa headquarters, has been placed on unpaid leave pending resolution of the fraud case, sheriff’s spokesman Ryan Keim said.



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FORMER PASSAIC COUNTY SHERIFF OFFICER RONALD A. LUCAS LIED DURING HIS GRAND JURY TESTIMONY WHEN HE CLAIMED THAT HE INJURED HIS LEFT SHOULDER DURING A FALL AT A WAYNE TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY PROPERTY.  HE IN FACT HAD PRIOR INJURIES BY PLAYING FOOTBALL FOR MANY YEARS AND LIFTING WEIGHTS
As part of an investigation we have been performing, we discovered that Ronald A. Lucas, a former Passaic County sheriff officer with the Civil Division lied about his on-the-job shoulder injury.  Lucas claimed that he fell on the job on June 28, 2011 at 687 Indian Road, Wayne, NJ and that he injured his left shoulder requiring several pins.   He then filed a disability claim with the New Jersey Division of Pensions and Benefits (Police and Firemen Retirement System).  He was granted disability for one year with subsequent review.  After he retired with claimed disability, he obtained a job as part-time security guard at the Pequannock High School.
We discovered that Mr. Lucas suffered shoulder injuries while playing football and lifting heavy weights over his lifetime.  He was a linebacker with the Pompton Lakes Cardinals, using his shoulder to hit and tackle his opponents during practice and during football games.  We are attaching a picture showing that he was #41 in the Cardinal’s Pompton Lake football team.  Lucas has fallen on his shoulder probably thousand times during his athletic and training career.
Everybody knows that linebackers hit and tackle their opponents using their shoulders.  These athletes also lift heavy weights and they end-up injuries their shoulders.   He even made the All County Team in 1980, showing how hard he was working out.  Based on our investigation, we found that weight lifting athletes do suffer shoulder injuries of the type claimed by Lucas.
He also trained his two sons (Dean Lucas and Ronnie Lucas) into playing TE and DE positions also with the Cardinals football team.  In fact, linebackers suffer at least 13.5 percent of all football injuries and at least 65 percent of the linebackers end up undergoing surgery.
We have obtained photos showing Mr. Lucas lifting weights, after his alleged job-ending disability.  See for example the attached image that is dated December 2013.
It is obvious to a reasonable and objective person that Lucas (in his mid-50s) took this incident on June 28, 2011 to claim on-the job-injury to be able to repair his previously injured shoulder at taxpayers’ expense and to retire and then blame Basilis Stephanatos for his injuries.  After he retired, he started the double dipping.  The finest of New Jersey at "work".  But he was caught and he will face the consequences.

HISPANIC WORKERS CONTINUE TO BUILT NEW YORK CITY WITH THEIR BLOOD: Two workers (including Juan Chonillo, 43) plunge to their deaths in separate incidents in New York City after their harnennes were not properly secured







The worker was wearing a harness when he fell from the 29th floor, but the harness wasn't clipped in. He landed on a scaffold bridge above the sidewalk and was pronounced dead at the scene.

HISPANIC WORKERS CONTINUE TO BUILT NEW YORK CITY WITH THEIR BLOOD


Two construction workers died in separate falls hours apart in Manhattan Thursday, officials said.

The Department of Buildings said it is investigating the accidents in the Financial District and midtown that left a father of five and a 45-year-old man, respectively, dead. The department also confirmed that at one of the two sites, it was the second such death this year.

In the first incident, a veteran construction worker died in a 29-story plunge from a luxury waterfront condo development in the Financial District, authorities and relatives said.

The victim's identity has not been officially released, but a cousin at the scene, Angel Munoz, told News 4 he is Juan Chonillo, a 43-year-old father of five from Ecuador who has worked on many projects similar to the development on Maiden Lane in the past and that he had lost his balance prior to the fall.


Fire officials said the worker was wearing a harness when he fell from the 29th floor, but the harness wasn't clipped in. He landed on a scaffold bridge above the sidewalk and was pronounced dead at the scene.


A Department of Buildings spokesman said Chonillo and other workers, who were employed by contractor Pizzarotti IBC, were installing molds in which to pour concrete for the 29th floor of the tower at the time of the accident.

The address emergency personnel were called to is 1 Seaport Residences, which, once finished, is expected to be a 60-story building with a "full floor experience" halfway up that offers 360-degree views of Manhattan, according to StreetEasy. The website reports multiple penthouse units are already in contract for more than $7 million apeice.

The Buildings Department website also shows a complaint filed on Tuesday ago over possible unsafe crane operation, but a spokesman said it had nothing to do with Thursday's accident.

Later Thursday afternoon, two workers plunged from a bucket lift from the third floor at 400 W. 33rd St. on Ninth Avenue, according to a Department of Buildings spokesman.

One of the workers, a 45-year-old man, died. Witnesses at the scene said it appeared that they were wearing safety harnesses, but that they weren't secured to the bucket.



It was the second time a worker had fallen to his death at the site this year; another worker died in June.

A spokesman for Tishman Construction, the contractor for the site, said that the two workers fell while a boom was descending.

"We are deeply saddened by this terrible tragedy and we are actively cooperating with all relevant agencies to investigate the matter," a company spokesman said.

The deaths come amid calls for more stringent safety measures. The buildings department said there had been seven construction-related deaths this year, including Thursday morning's fall. In 2016 and 2015, there were 12 deaths each.

The president of the Building and Construction Trades Council of Greater New York, Gary LaBarbera, said construction is "one of the most dangerous industries in New York City and even the best trained workers are not immune to accidents."

"We must end this epidemic and come together as a city to ensure that we do everything in our power to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities for the men and women who are building our skyline," LaBarbera said.

Months ago, the City Council approved a bill that requires a better database of who gets hurt or killed in a fall, but the fate of a more controversial bill requiring construction workers in the city to get safety training and an apprenticeship course is still unknown.
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Electrical Worker Dead After Falling From Bucket Lift At Manhattan Construction Site

by Emma Whitford in News on Sep 21, 2017 5:09 pm








(Maya Rajamani / DNAInfo)

A 45-year-old worker with a Queens-based electrical contractor died Thursday afternoon after falling out of a bucket lift on the third floor level of a mega-tower construction site on the west side of Manhattan, according to a preliminary Department of Buildings investigation.

This marks the second fatality on the 400 West 33rd Street site, also known as One Manhattan West, since June, according to the DOB.

A second worker, also a 45-year-old man, fell from the bucket as well. He was transported to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition with head and body trauma, according to the NYPD.

"The only comment we have is that we are cooperating with the authorities," said Christine Abreu, director of risk management and compliance at EJ Electric, which employed both men.

Brookfield Properties, which owns the Manhattan West site, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

"This afternoon, two workers fell out of a boom lift while it was descending. One worker died on-site and the other is at the hospital," said Tishman Construction spokesman John Gallagher. "We are deeply saddened by this terrible tragedy and we are actively cooperating with all relevant agencies to investigate the matter. There are no further details at this time."

A 62-year-old construction worker, Roger Vail, fell ten stories to his death at the site on June 7th, DNAInfo reports, after the material he was standing on up on the sixteenth floor broke. A stop-work order was issued and subsequently lifted.

There are three open DOB violations on One Manhattan West, including one immediately hazardous violation from June 6th, DOB records show. Tishman owes $1,500 for "failure to safeguard all persons and property affected by construction operations." There are also eight open Environmental Control Board violations.

This second fatality at the Manhattan West development also marked the second construction-related death in Manhattan in less than a day. Thursday morning, a 27-year-old worker fell 27 stories to his death while working on a luxury high-rise development on Maiden Lane near the South Street Seaport. The DOB had issued a stop work order on Wednesday for workers using a crane without permits.

One Manhattan West is planned to rise 67 stories, and is part of Brookfield's planned six-building Manhattan West complex.





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Worker Dies in 27-Story Fall at Financial District Site, NYPD Says




By Danielle Barnes, Trevor Kapp and Aidan Gardiner | September 21, 2017 10:55am | Updated on September 21, 2017 1:02pm
 

Juan Chonillo, left, died in a fall from 161 Maiden Lane, officials said.
Facebook/Juan Chonillo and DNAinfo/Danielle Barnes

FINANCIAL DISTRICT — A father of five fell 27 stories to his death at a luxury high-rise construction site near South Street Seaport he was working at on Thursday morning, officials said.

Juan Chonillo, 43, was setting up a framework into which to pour concrete on the 29th floor of 161 Maiden Lane, near FDR Drive, when he plummeted to his death on a street-level scaffolding about 9:15 a.m., an NYPD spokeswoman said.

Chonillo was wearing a harness, but it hadn't been clipped onto anything, according to Department of Buildings officials.

Chonillo, who's from Ecuador, has five children and has worked construction in New York for about a decade, according to family who visited the scene.

"He was really dear to me. He was a great guy. I'm pretty brokenhearted," said Chonillo's nephew, Elias Rivera-Chonillo, 28.

Chonillo, of Corona, died at the scene, police said.

"We just came back from the morgue. I'm just trying to find out what's going on. We're destroyed," said Rivera-Chonillo.

"He was a good father. He would take care of his kids," the nephew said.

Those nearby heard the impact of the fall, they said.

"I didn't see the guy fall, but I heard the loud boom," said Paul James of the Union Brotherhood of Carpenters Local 157.

"We saw complete commotion," James said

The Department of Buildings officials were investigating Chonillo's death.

Chonillo was a subcontractor of Pizzarotti IBC, which didn't immediately return a request for comment.

FDNY officials evacuated some buildings north of the fall site "out of an abundance of caution," Currao said.

The build site is slated to become come a 60-story residential tower which developers have dubbed 1 Seaport, which will sport a spa, fitness center and studio apartments for $1,500,000.

A day before the fall, the DOB issued a partial stop-work order at the site Wednesday for workers using a crane without proper permits, according to the agency's website. The agency is also investigating Thursday's fall.

The site has been cited nine times since January, racking up $24,000 in fines, records show.

On Jan. 3, inspectors found that workers were operating in darkness because no one set up lighting, that exits were blocked by equipment and other unsafe condition, records show.

In April, inspectors cited them for debris strewn about the work area, records show.

On July 20, inspectors cited them for not properly illuminating cranes on the site, records show.

James said he was at the site Thursday morning on behalf of his union, which was protesting the non-union site when the worker fell.

"These workers are underpaid, not unionized and they have no proper training," James said.

Chonillo's death comes a day after new construction safety regulations passed out of committee to be voted on by the entire City Council on Wednesday.

The rules, under Intro. 1447, would require better training for workers throughout the city and levy fines against owners and developers who fail to abide by that, supporters said.

"The measures before the City Council next week are common sense, essential steps towards beginning to change the culture in the [construction] industry. For too long, their safety has been sacrificed for the sake of expediency and profit," council members Jumaane Williams and Margaret Chin said in a press release.

"It is our sincere hope that this will help prevent future injuries and deaths like the heartbreaking incident we experienced today," the council members said.

Drug-filled driver Jaclyn Jones, 30, of Nockamixon Township, PA, was charged with murder for the head-on collision that killed Chris Marinelli, 21, and seriously injured his 20-year-old girlfriend, Gabrialle (Gaby) Otero.



DRUG ADDICTS TAKE MORE LIVES ON THE DEADLY U.S. ROADS:


BEDMINSTER TWP., Pa. (WPVI) -- A woman has been charged with third-degree murder after a fatal crash last month in Bucks County.

Jaclyn Jones, 30, of Foeller Lane in Nockamixon Township, was charged on Thursday for the crash that killed a 21-year-old man and seriously injured his 20-year-old girlfriend.

The crash happened on Route 611 in Bedminster Township around 9 p.m. on August 30.

Friday night, Action News spoke with the family of 20-year-old Gaby Otero off camera.

They say she is home from the hospital, but has a long road ahead of her - a fractured skull, brain trauma and numerous broken bones.

They say an arrest is just one step towards justice for their daughter and her late boyfriend.

Police say Jones had numerous prescription drugs in her system, including amphetamine, oxycodone, and fentanyl when she crossed the center line, killing 21-year-old Chris Marinelli and badly injuring his girlfriend, 20-year-old Gabrialle Otero.

Bucks County Deputy DA Robert James said, "One of the reasons she's charged with 3rd degree murder in this case is because as the affidavit states, she's on her 3rd DUI.

Authorities say she was also driving with a suspended license.

She was granted an occupational limited license by PennDOT to drive to and from work. But authorities say on August 30, she was shopping at the Willow Grove Mall.

"We have a receipt that demonstrates she was coming from a shopping spree," District Attorney James said.

James is Chief of the Homicide by Vehicle Unit for the Bucks County district attorney's office. He says he's seeing an alarming number of cases like this one.

"In the past 9 months alone, my office has charged five different defendants with 3rd degree murder in crash related cases," he said.

He hopes more serious charges with more potential jail time - like 3rd degree murder will deter people from driving under the influence.

Now, the family of Chris Marinelli is raising money for his girlfriend's medical expenses through a GoFundMe campaign, hoping someday she'll be able to return to Temple University where she was studying bio-chemistry.

The district attorneys' office, quoting an affidavit, said "Jones' parents told police that 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."

Along with third-degree murder, Jones was also charged with aggravated assault and homicide by vehicle while DUI.


She is being held on 10% of $1 million cash. A preliminary hearing is set for next month.




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BUCKS COUNTY, Pa. (CBS) – A 30-year-old woman is facing serious charges, including 3rd degree murder, for a deadly crash on Route 611.

Jaclyn Jones crossed the yellow line on Easton Road, just south of old Easton Road, police say, and crashed head-on into a car driven by Christopher Marinelli. Marinelli was pronounced dead at the scene.

In addition to homicide by vehicle while DUI, Jones is also charged with 3rd degree murder.



According to charging documents, Jones had drugs including Oxycodone and Fentanyl in her system. And while she did have a prescription, investigators say the drugs would have impaired her ability to drive.

The complaint also says Jones’ license was suspended for a second DUI. She was allowed to drive to work, on what’s called a bread-and-butter license. But police say she was shopping at Willow Grove Mall, a violation of the Occupational Limited License.



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Man killed in Bedminster head-on collision with druggie female driver

By Bob Keeler Sep 1, 2017

BEDMINSTER, NJ  A 21-year-old Bedminster man was killed and two others were taken to hospitals, one by medical helicopter, following an accident about 9:12 p.m. Aug. 27 on Route 611 just south of Old Easton Road, Bedminster Township Police Department said.

Christopher Michael Marinelli was declared dead at the scene, police said.

Marinelli was driving a 1997 Saturn south on Route 611 and Jaclyn Jones, 30, of Nockamixon, was driving a 2012 Jeep Patriot north on Route 611 when the crash happened, police said. Witnesses said Jones’s vehicle crossed over into the opposite lane before the driver’s sides of the two vehicles collided, police said.

Jones was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital by Point Pleasant-Plumsteadville EMS, police said.

Gabrialle Otero, 20, of Bedminster, who was a passenger in Marinelli’s vehicle, was trapped in the vehicle and extricated by Plumsteadville and Ottsville fire companies, police said. She was flown by medical helicopter to Temple University Hospital where she was in critical condition the following day, police said.

A portion of Route 611 was closed following the accident until about 1 a.m., police said.


Investigation into the accident is continuing, with the help of a crash reconstruction team from the Bucks County District Attorney’s office, police said.

“It’ll be a little bit before everything gets put together on the exact factors on how this happened,” Bedminster Township police Sgt. Brian Pfaff said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Bedminster Township Police Department at 215-795-2972.