A Toms River teen was accused of driving while drunk and high on marijuana in a crash that killed one of her passengers, authorities said.
Kailyn Gorga, 18, was charged on Friday, May 31 with vehicular homicide and assault by auto, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said in a news release on Tuesday, June 4. Her charges were from an early morning crash in Manchester Township on Sunday, Apr. 14 that killed 18-year-old Catalina Reinoso of Brick Township.
Manchester police responded to the one-car crash on Lacey Road in the Whiting section of the township at around 2:50 a.m. Gorga was driving a 2008 Mazda3 with five passengers, including Reinoso and a 19-year-old Brick Township man in the backseat.
Investigators said the Mazda was traveling south on Lacey Road when it hit the center median and overturned. The Brick man was treated for his injuries at Jersey Shore University Medical Center and later released.
Reinoso was airlifted to the Neptune hospital and died on Friday, Apr. 19. Once she was declared brain dead, Reinoso’s family donated her organs to nine people.
After the crash, police obtained a warrant, and Gorga’s blood was drawn. Laboratory results showed Gorga’s blood alcohol concentration was .099.
The lab results also said Gorga had an active THC level of four nanograms and a metabolite THC level of 47 nanograms. She turned herself in to Manchester police headquarters on Friday, May 31.
Gorga was held in the Ocean County Jail to await a detention hearing.
