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The head-on collision occurred after drinking at a Browns Mill bar, according to Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw.
Wanda Sprague pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in exchange for a term of eight years in New Jersey state prison, Bradshaw said.
Sentencing is set for Nov. 16.
In addition to the criminal charges, Sprague agreed to plead guilty to Driving While Intoxicated, which is a motor vehicle summons.
The investigation began on Dec. 16, 2021, after officers from the Pemberton Township Police Department were dispatched to Lakehurst Road and Rancocas Lane for a report of a motor vehicle accident at approximately 9:15 p.m.
The investigation determined that the headlights on Sprague’s Chrysler 300 were not illuminated when she crashed head-on into a Nissan Sentra being driven by Kayla Bowen, 17, also of Pemberton Township, the prosecutor said. Bowen was pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation further determined that Sprague had been consuming alcohol prior to the crash at the Country Lakes Pub and Grill, and reached a speed exceeding 90 mph prior to the collision, Bradshaw said. Her blood alcohol concentration following the collision was .188, more than twice the legal limit, she said.
Sprague told the court she had no recollection of the collision. From a wheelchair, she said she has had several surgeries, with more scheduled, and might need to have a foot amputated.
She is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Joshua Dennis, supervisor of the BCPO Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit.
The investigation was conducted by the Prosecutor’s Office and the Pemberton Township Police Department, with assistance from the New Jersey State Police. The lead investigators are BCPO Detectives Brian Cunningham and Melyssa Alonso, and PTPD Detective Joshua Mann.
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