Man indicted in connection with June '07 fatal accident

John Lombardo

On March 28, a Monmouth County grand jury returned an indictment charging John Lombardo Jr., 35, whose last known address was in Marlboro, with vehicular homicide and knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in death. The charges stem from an incident that occurred on June 3, 2007.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office in conjunction with the Freehold Township Police Department and the Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team.

According to the prosecutor's office, the investigation revealed that during the early morning hours of June 3, Lombardo was intoxicated and driving a Ford pickup truck west on Route 537 in Freehold Township. He then made a left turn onto Route 527 (Siloam Road) directly in front of a woman who was riding her motorcycle east on Route 537.W

hile attempting to avoid a collision, the victim, Theresa Kling, 39, of Freehold, fell to the ground and Lombardo's pickup truck ran over her motorcycle. Kling succumbed to her injuries later that day.

According to the prosecutor's office, Lombardo drove away from the scene. He was found a short time after the collision by officers from the Freehold Township Police Department. He was located on the side of Route 527 near the pickup truck, about 2 miles away from the point where the collision occurred.

Pending the completion of the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of Kling, Lombardo was charged with driving while intoxicated and other motor vehicle offenses.

Vehicular homicide is a second-degree crime that carries a maximum punishment of 10 years imprisonment subject to the No Early Release Act, which requires that a defendant serve 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

The crime of knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in death is also a second-degree crime and also carries a maximum potential sentence of 10 years imprisonment. This offense is not subject to the provisions of the No Early Release Act.