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Anthony Krempel was taken into custody at his home on Tuesday, March 25, and charged with vehicular homicide in connection with the Jan. 20 crash at Grand Central Parkway that killed Emanuela Fuchs, 34, of Beachwood, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said Wednesday, March 26.
Officers responding to the scene around 12 p.m. found a 2015 Chevrolet Equinox had left the roadway and hit a tree. The driver, later identified as Krempel, had been traveling at a high rate of speed, investigators said. Fuchs was rushed to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where she was pronounced dead, authorities said.
“First Responders at the scene detected that Krempel showed signs of impairment,” Billhimer said.
Krempel was taken to Community Medical Center in Toms River, where a blood draw was conducted under a court-authorized warrant, the prosecutor said.
On March 17, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office received lab results showing that Krempel had fentanyl and methadone in his system at the time of the crash, Billhimer said. He had already been issued motor vehicle summonses for Driving While Intoxicated, Reckless Driving, and Careless Driving, officials said.
Krempel was arrested without incident and is being held at the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.
As previously reported by Daily Voice, Krempel has a lengthy history of traffic offenses (9 pages) dating back to 2004, the NJ Courts website shows. Prior charges include reckless driving, driving on a suspended license, simple assault, failure to have inspection, and more.
Fuchs' Facebook page shows she was a mother of two. Her relationship to Krempel was not immediately clear.
Prosecutor Billhimer praised the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad, the Berkeley Township Police Department, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit for their work on the case.
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