John Cruz, SrBy Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times
Anthony Ruggerio, of Hammonton, will spend the next nine years of his life in prison for the January 2008 drunken driving crash that claimed the life of Atlantic County Corrections Officer, John Cruz Sr. as he was leaving home for work.
In February, Ruggerio pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter and driving while intoxicated for the Jan. 14, 2008, crash that killed Cruz. The day of the accident, Ruggerio had a blood alcohol content of between .27 and .29 percent.
It was later revealed that Ruggerio had been drinking hand sanitizer, which has an alcohol content of upwards of .65 percent, before he got behind the wheel of his car.
During sentencing, a letter from Ruggerio's mother, Mary, was read in court. She said she tried to keep her home alcohol free because her son was struggling with depression and alcoholism. Mary said her son tried to recover from his alcoholism, but did not.
Ruggerio also addressed the court and the Cruz family saying, "I don't expect forgiveness because I can't forgive myself."
Sentencing day found the courtroom packed with members of the Cruz family, some who came from Puerto Rico along with many of Cruz's fellow officers from the Atlantic County Jail. The Cruz family has diligently attended Ruggerio's trial from day one.
Officer Cruz was backing out of his Egg Harbor Road driveway headed to work, when Ruggerio's vehicle slammed into his vehicle at 70 miles per hour. The force impact of the crash caused Cruz's vehicle to burst into flames.
Cruz was trapped inside. His son, John, was standing outside when the crash occurred. He tried to free his father, but couldn't. He watched helplessly as his father died.
John Cruz, Jr. and his sister, Jessica did not speak during the victim impact phase of Ruggerio's sentencing. Instead, victim advocate Jackie Simonson read a statement prepared by the siblings.
In his statement, Cruz Jr., fondly remembered his father as a hardworking man who always had time for the family.
The Cruz family and fellow correctional officer of Cruz Sr.,
sit in court during Anthony Ruggerio's sentencing, March 2010 The Daily Journal
"He was always looking after our best interests. He was my role model. He was my superhero," Simonson said, reading Cruz's statement.
Jessica Cruz's statement, also read by Simonson, Cruz Sr.'s daughter said the accident has caused the family great pain. In her grief, Jessica cried herself to sleep for five months after the crash and developed an eating disorder.
"My father will never see me graduate, He won't walk me down the aisle. He will never see his grandchildren," Jessica's statement read.
Sonia Cruz-Bermudez, the sister of the correctional officer, said she still has trouble driving past the accident scene, which she does practically on a daily basis.
"My brother was sentenced to death. There was no plea bargain for my brother," Cruz-Bermudez said as she fought back tears.
In addition to his prison sentence, Judge Garofolo fined Ruggerio, who will have his license suspended for two years and must have an ignition lock installed in his car for three years after he leaves prison.
Ruggerio, who will be placed on supervised parole after prison, must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence before being eligible for parole.
In February, Ruggerio pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter and driving while intoxicated for the Jan. 14, 2008, crash that killed Cruz. The day of the accident, Ruggerio had a blood alcohol content of between .27 and .29 percent.
It was later revealed that Ruggerio had been drinking hand sanitizer, which has an alcohol content of upwards of .65 percent, before he got behind the wheel of his car.
During sentencing, a letter from Ruggerio's mother, Mary, was read in court. She said she tried to keep her home alcohol free because her son was struggling with depression and alcoholism. Mary said her son tried to recover from his alcoholism, but did not.
Ruggerio also addressed the court and the Cruz family saying, "I don't expect forgiveness because I can't forgive myself."
Sentencing day found the courtroom packed with members of the Cruz family, some who came from Puerto Rico along with many of Cruz's fellow officers from the Atlantic County Jail. The Cruz family has diligently attended Ruggerio's trial from day one.
Officer Cruz was backing out of his Egg Harbor Road driveway headed to work, when Ruggerio's vehicle slammed into his vehicle at 70 miles per hour. The force impact of the crash caused Cruz's vehicle to burst into flames.
Cruz was trapped inside. His son, John, was standing outside when the crash occurred. He tried to free his father, but couldn't. He watched helplessly as his father died.
John Cruz, Jr. and his sister, Jessica did not speak during the victim impact phase of Ruggerio's sentencing. Instead, victim advocate Jackie Simonson read a statement prepared by the siblings.
In his statement, Cruz Jr., fondly remembered his father as a hardworking man who always had time for the family.
The Cruz family and fellow correctional officer of Cruz Sr.,
sit in court during Anthony Ruggerio's sentencing, March 2010 The Daily Journal
"He was always looking after our best interests. He was my role model. He was my superhero," Simonson said, reading Cruz's statement.
Jessica Cruz's statement, also read by Simonson, Cruz Sr.'s daughter said the accident has caused the family great pain. In her grief, Jessica cried herself to sleep for five months after the crash and developed an eating disorder.
"My father will never see me graduate, He won't walk me down the aisle. He will never see his grandchildren," Jessica's statement read.
Sonia Cruz-Bermudez, the sister of the correctional officer, said she still has trouble driving past the accident scene, which she does practically on a daily basis.
"My brother was sentenced to death. There was no plea bargain for my brother," Cruz-Bermudez said as she fought back tears.
In addition to his prison sentence, Judge Garofolo fined Ruggerio, who will have his license suspended for two years and must have an ignition lock installed in his car for three years after he leaves prison.
Ruggerio, who will be placed on supervised parole after prison, must serve 85 percent of his prison sentence before being eligible for parole.
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