Man admits killing student in car crash

Joseph Stovall admitted he was under the influence of Xanax when the crash occurred in Long Branch

File photo 

FREEHOLD -- A former Long Branch man admitted Friday he caused the death of a Monmouth University student when he slammed into her car while she was tending to a car accident.

Joseph Stovall, 48, who now lives in Virginia, pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide in the Sept. 11, 2013, death of Victoria Tropper, 21, of Marlboro, said acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni.

Former Long Branch man indicted in crash that killed Monmouth U. student

Stovall also pleaded guilty to assault by auto for injuring Thomas E. Triano, 52, of Cherry Hill, in the crash, and to driving under the influence of Xanax despite not having a valid prescription for the drug, Gramiccioni said.

As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend that Stovall be sentenced on Oct. 28 to five years in prison and be required to serve more than four years of the term before becoming eligible for parole, Gramiccioni said. He would also be placed on parole supervision for three years after being released from prison.

If Stovall had been convicted of vehicular homicide at trial, he would have faced up to 20 years in prison.

After they had been involved in a fender-bender, Tropper and Triano were standing between their respective cars on the shoulder of Joline Avemue near Fifth Avenue in Long Branch at 7:45 p.m. when Stovall's Dodge Ram pick-up truck swerved into the shoulder, the acting prosecutor said. His truck collided with Tropper's Volkswagen Jetta and pushed it into Triano and Tropper, investigators said at the time.

Triano sustained multiple cuts and Tropper suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Aurora Tropper, the mother of Victoria Tropper, said that although she was dissatisfied with the length of time Stovall will have to spend behind bars, she agreed to the deal because it ends three years of torture for her and her family.

"It's not enough time, five years. It brings me a little peace that this person won't be on the street for five years," she said. "It's not closure. I'm the one serving a life sentence."

She the experience inspired her to work to change the law governing vehicular homicide to prohibit anyone convicted of committing that crime while being under the influence or drugs or alcohol to serve a mandatory prison term of between 10 and 15 years.

"If someone is under the influence and clearly kills someone, there should not be leniency," she said.

She said her daughter, the oldest of three children, was on her way home to Marlboro when the crash occurred.  She was a senior majoring in psychology, her mother said.

"We're hurting as a family," Mrs. Tropper said. "People don't realize the affects of this on the family. It's very difficult to go on. We see the law is not on our side."