Monmouth County Jury Finds Man Guilty in 2007 Accident
A jury in Monmouth County has found a Marlboro man guilty in a fatal alcohol-related motorcycle accident that occurred in 2007. John Lombardo Jr. was found guilty of vehicular manslaughter, driving while intoxicated and reckless driving.
Superior Court Judge Anthony J. Mellaci Jr cited Lombardo’s prior record for ordering that his bail be increased to $250,000. Lombardo has one previous drunk driving conviction, besides two other convictions for reckless driving and two convictions for drug possession. On the 22nd of March, Lombardo was again cited by Brick Township police for driving under a suspended license. The judge also frowned on Lombardo’s attempts to name-drop his way out of trouble. On the night of the accident in which Lombardo struck a motorcycle carrying 39-year-old Teresa Kling and her fiancé Michael Crowell, Lombardo told the police officer who pulled him over, about friends he had in law enforcement.
Kling sustained fatal injuries in the crash. Lombardo was found two miles away from the accident scene, and forensic evidence showed that his pickup tuck had come in contact with the motorcycle Kling and Crowell were riding on. When blood alcohol tests were conducted, they revealed a blood alcohol level of .19 percent.
Earlier this month, I discussed the decline in alcohol-related car accident fatalities across the country, including in New Jersey. Those trends have been seen for several years now. Tougher laws against drunk drivers, stronger prosecution, and enhanced use of awareness campaigns have reduced our tolerance of drunk drivers, and brought down the number of fatalities in accidents involving these motorists. New Jersey personal injury lawyers, I'd like to believe, have done their bit to hold such reckless motorists accountable in a civil court.
When I come across cases like this however, it becomes clear that we still have a long way to go.
