by Alicia Cruz
Editor-in-Chief
Theblackurbantimes
Editor-in-Chief
Theblackurbantimes
As he sat mourning at his mother's grave site, Michael Homentosky tossed back a lot of Vodka, then got behind the wheel of a Jeep he borrowed from his nail salon employer and began driving home.
Within minutes, Homentosky, of North Arlington, New Jersey had set into play a nightmare for a family of five that would land him in prison for at least 15 years.
Homentosky ran a red light at the intersection of Dover Chester Road in excess of 80 mph broadsiding a Jeep Cherokee driven by Teresa Wright and her three children.
The force of the impact caused Wright's Jeep to burst into flames.
The heroic efforts of two men saved the lives of Wright's children who begged them not to let their mommy burn in the car. The Jeep was so mangled that the rescuers couldn't open the car doors. By smashing a back window, they were able to free Wright as her children looked on in horror and disbelief.
Though gravely injured, Wright's only concern was for her children. She died two days later from the traumatic brain injuries she sustained during the accident. Her husband allowed doctors to disconnect her life support as he cradled her in his arms.
After losing the love of his life, William Wright, an attorney successfully lobbied for tougher penalties for drivers who cause reckless accidents while intoxicated.
In December 1995, his fight resulted in the passing of Teri's Law. Prior to the passing of Teri's Law, a reckless driver who killed someone while intoxicated only faced a year in the county jail. Now, the penalty is 10 years.
At the time of the accident, Homentosky, who was driving on a suspended license, had 11 accidents and 14 moving violations on his driving record.
Police said he had a bottle of Vodka in a gym bag in his car and was drinking tea and vodka from a Thermos as he drove that night.
When he was tested after the accident, his blood-alcohol level was 0.214 (.21 percent), more than twice the level at that time (.10 percent) at which one is considered legally drunk in New Jersey. The legal limit has since been lowered to .08 percent.
A year after he killed Teresa Wright, Homentosky was found guilty February 9, 1996, of aggravated manslaughter and sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison. In 2002, after serving one-fifth of his 30-year sentence,Homentosky asked a judge to reduce his sentence. His request was denied.
After serving 15 of his 30 year sentence, Parole board members recently voted to release Homentosky, now 50, on March 2, 2010. He will be placed on supervised parole through August 2011, said Neal Buccino, spokesman for the New Jersey state Parole Board.
"Michael has told me that not a day has gone by that he has not expressed remorse for this act," said his attorney Joseph Bell. Bell said that Homentosky has turned into a "fantastic artist" in prison and annually sends him cards he has created — the latest a sketch of Elvis Presley playing a guitar and having a "blue Christmas."
Photo by Bob Karp
The roadside memorial at Dover Chester Road for Teresa Wright. It was here where
Homentosky hit Wright's Jeep in 1995 killing her and injuring her children.
Teresa Wright's younger sister, Lisa Senters, said she has forgiven Homentosky and does not object to his release.
"My sister was a very strong Christian, as am I, and I believe that forgiveness is really important for everyone," said Senters. "I don't feel he went out that day with a mission to hurt anyone and I pray that he can change his life and do really great things."
Sadly, Teresa Wright's husband, William, never lived to see the day Homentosky would be free. While jogging in 1997, Wright was struck and killed on Route 10, about 200 yards from where his wife's Jeep was hit by Homentosky.
Wright's crusade to toughen drunk driving laws in New Jersey resulted in a domino effect of several changes:
FIRST D.W.I. OFFENSE
A fine of $250 to $400.
Discretionary imprisonment up to 30 days.
License suspension for six months to one year.
Detention for at least six hours a day for two days in an Intoxicated Driver Resource Center.
A $100 surcharge to be deposited in a drunk-driving enforcement fund.
An auto insurance surcharge of $1,000 a year for three years.
A $30 restoration fee payable to the Division of Motor Vehicles and an $80 administrative fee payable to the Bureau of Alcohol Countermeasures.
SECOND OFFENSE
A fine of $500 to $1,000.
Imprisonment of not less than 48 hours and not more than 90 days.
Two-year license suspension.
Detention for 48 consecutive hours in an Intoxicated Driver Resource Center.
Thirty days of community service.
A $100 surcharge to be deposited in a drunk-driving enforcement fund.
An automobile insurance surcharge of $1,000 a year for three years.
A $30 restoration fee payable to the Division of Motor Vehicles and an $80 administrative fee payable to the Bureau of Alcohol Countermeasures.
THIRD OFFENSE
A $1,000 fine.
Imprisonment of 180 days; up to 90 days may be served performing community service.
Ten-year license suspension.
Possible detention in an in-patient alcoholism treatment program.
Requirements set by the Bureau of Alcohol Countermeasures/Intoxicated Resource Center.
A fee to be paid to the Intoxicated Drive Resource Center, dependent upon court sentence.
A $100 surcharge to be deposited in a drunk-driving enforcement fund.
An auto insurance surcharge of $1,500 a year for three years on a third offense in any three-year period.
A $30 restoration fee payable to the Division of Motor Vehicles and an $80 administrative fee payable to the Bureau of Alcohol Countermeasures.
REFUSAL TO TAKE BREATH TEST
First offense: Fine of $250 to $500 and a six-month license suspension.
Second and subsequent offenses: Fine of $250 to $500 and a two-year license suspension and auto insurance surcharge of $1,000 a year for three years.
DRIVING WITH A SUSPENDED LICENSE BECAUSE OF D.W.I.
A $500 fine.
Up to 90 days' imprisonment.
An additional license suspension of one to two years.
A mandatory 45 days in jail if a driver with a suspended license has an accident and someone is injured.
DRINKING BY DRIVER OR PASSENGER
First offense: $200.
Second offense: $250 fine or 10 days of community service.
The Black Urban Times sources: Administrative Office of the Courts and the New Jersey State Police
You may Email writer at editor@theblackurbantimes.com
Within minutes, Homentosky, of North Arlington, New Jersey had set into play a nightmare for a family of five that would land him in prison for at least 15 years.
Homentosky ran a red light at the intersection of Dover Chester Road in excess of 80 mph broadsiding a Jeep Cherokee driven by Teresa Wright and her three children.
The force of the impact caused Wright's Jeep to burst into flames.
The heroic efforts of two men saved the lives of Wright's children who begged them not to let their mommy burn in the car. The Jeep was so mangled that the rescuers couldn't open the car doors. By smashing a back window, they were able to free Wright as her children looked on in horror and disbelief.
Though gravely injured, Wright's only concern was for her children. She died two days later from the traumatic brain injuries she sustained during the accident. Her husband allowed doctors to disconnect her life support as he cradled her in his arms.
After losing the love of his life, William Wright, an attorney successfully lobbied for tougher penalties for drivers who cause reckless accidents while intoxicated.
In December 1995, his fight resulted in the passing of Teri's Law. Prior to the passing of Teri's Law, a reckless driver who killed someone while intoxicated only faced a year in the county jail. Now, the penalty is 10 years.
At the time of the accident, Homentosky, who was driving on a suspended license, had 11 accidents and 14 moving violations on his driving record.
Police said he had a bottle of Vodka in a gym bag in his car and was drinking tea and vodka from a Thermos as he drove that night.
When he was tested after the accident, his blood-alcohol level was 0.214 (.21 percent), more than twice the level at that time (.10 percent) at which one is considered legally drunk in New Jersey. The legal limit has since been lowered to .08 percent.
A year after he killed Teresa Wright, Homentosky was found guilty February 9, 1996, of aggravated manslaughter and sentenced to 15 to 30 years in prison. In 2002, after serving one-fifth of his 30-year sentence,Homentosky asked a judge to reduce his sentence. His request was denied.
After serving 15 of his 30 year sentence, Parole board members recently voted to release Homentosky, now 50, on March 2, 2010. He will be placed on supervised parole through August 2011, said Neal Buccino, spokesman for the New Jersey state Parole Board.
"Michael has told me that not a day has gone by that he has not expressed remorse for this act," said his attorney Joseph Bell. Bell said that Homentosky has turned into a "fantastic artist" in prison and annually sends him cards he has created — the latest a sketch of Elvis Presley playing a guitar and having a "blue Christmas."
Photo by Bob KarpThe roadside memorial at Dover Chester Road for Teresa Wright. It was here where
Homentosky hit Wright's Jeep in 1995 killing her and injuring her children.
Teresa Wright's younger sister, Lisa Senters, said she has forgiven Homentosky and does not object to his release.
"My sister was a very strong Christian, as am I, and I believe that forgiveness is really important for everyone," said Senters. "I don't feel he went out that day with a mission to hurt anyone and I pray that he can change his life and do really great things."
Sadly, Teresa Wright's husband, William, never lived to see the day Homentosky would be free. While jogging in 1997, Wright was struck and killed on Route 10, about 200 yards from where his wife's Jeep was hit by Homentosky.
Wright's crusade to toughen drunk driving laws in New Jersey resulted in a domino effect of several changes:
FIRST D.W.I. OFFENSE
A fine of $250 to $400.
Discretionary imprisonment up to 30 days.
License suspension for six months to one year.
Detention for at least six hours a day for two days in an Intoxicated Driver Resource Center.
A $100 surcharge to be deposited in a drunk-driving enforcement fund.
An auto insurance surcharge of $1,000 a year for three years.
A $30 restoration fee payable to the Division of Motor Vehicles and an $80 administrative fee payable to the Bureau of Alcohol Countermeasures.
SECOND OFFENSE
A fine of $500 to $1,000.
Imprisonment of not less than 48 hours and not more than 90 days.
Two-year license suspension.
Detention for 48 consecutive hours in an Intoxicated Driver Resource Center.
Thirty days of community service.
A $100 surcharge to be deposited in a drunk-driving enforcement fund.
An automobile insurance surcharge of $1,000 a year for three years.
A $30 restoration fee payable to the Division of Motor Vehicles and an $80 administrative fee payable to the Bureau of Alcohol Countermeasures.
THIRD OFFENSE
A $1,000 fine.
Imprisonment of 180 days; up to 90 days may be served performing community service.
Ten-year license suspension.
Possible detention in an in-patient alcoholism treatment program.
Requirements set by the Bureau of Alcohol Countermeasures/Intoxicated Resource Center.
A fee to be paid to the Intoxicated Drive Resource Center, dependent upon court sentence.
A $100 surcharge to be deposited in a drunk-driving enforcement fund.
An auto insurance surcharge of $1,500 a year for three years on a third offense in any three-year period.
A $30 restoration fee payable to the Division of Motor Vehicles and an $80 administrative fee payable to the Bureau of Alcohol Countermeasures.
REFUSAL TO TAKE BREATH TEST
First offense: Fine of $250 to $500 and a six-month license suspension.
Second and subsequent offenses: Fine of $250 to $500 and a two-year license suspension and auto insurance surcharge of $1,000 a year for three years.
DRIVING WITH A SUSPENDED LICENSE BECAUSE OF D.W.I.
A $500 fine.
Up to 90 days' imprisonment.
An additional license suspension of one to two years.
A mandatory 45 days in jail if a driver with a suspended license has an accident and someone is injured.
DRINKING BY DRIVER OR PASSENGER
First offense: $200.
Second offense: $250 fine or 10 days of community service.
The Black Urban Times sources: Administrative Office of the Courts and the New Jersey State Police
You may Email writer at editor@theblackurbantimes.com
No comments:
Post a Comment
We appreciates all comments and fosters free speech, however, keep in mind that we have young readers who peruse our site. Having said that, please refrain from using profane language, and know that flaming will not be tolerated. Spam will not be tolerated.