PARSIPPANY-TROY HILLS, NJ (Morris County) – A Bergen County man has been sentenced in connection to a triple fatal motor vehicle crash that occurred in the early morning hours of October 18, 2019, according to Morris County acting Prosecutor Robert Carroll.
On November 5, 2020, Miguel Botero, 30, of Dumont entered guilty pleas to two counts of second-degree vehicular homicide and one count of third-degree strict liability vehicular homicide before the Hon. Stephen J. Taylor, P.J.Cr. He also entered a guilty plea to the motor vehicle offense of driving while intoxicated, Carroll said.
Botero was sentenced by Judge Taylor on Thursday to an aggregate term of 17 years New Jersey State Prison, 12 years of which are subject to the parole ineligibility provisions of the No Early Release Act, Carroll said.
Specifically, Botero was sentenced to six years New Jersey State Prison, subject to the No Early Release Act, on each of the second-degree vehicular homicide charges, and five years New Jersey State Prison on the third-degree strict liability vehicular homicide charge. All charges are to run consecutive, Carroll said.
The charges arise from a multi-vehicle motor vehicle crash that occurred in the area of mile post 45.2 on Interstate 80 eastbound in Parsippany-Troy Hills. The investigation revealed that all three occupants of one of the vehicles struck by Botero died as a result of the crash, Carroll said.
A further investigation revealed that Botero was intoxicated at the time of the crash and was driving his vehicle in the wrong direction on Interstate 80, Carroll said.
Acting Prosecutor Carroll acknowledges members of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the members of the New Jersey State Police Fatal Accident Investigation Unit, in particular, MCPO Detective Jason Gould, and NJSP Detective Richard Hampp, who contributed to the successful investigation of this matter, and Assistant Prosecutor Tara Wang represented the State in this prosecution.
