A man who was high on prescription medication when he crashed into and killed a pedestrian in Roxbury NJ has been sentenced to serve 5 years in NJ State Prison.

According to Morris County prosecutors, the 29-year-old suspect was under the influence of Ambien, as well as anti-anxiety medication, when he drove a Subaru wagon on Route 46 in Roxbury, New Jersey. The fatal accident occurred on June 3, 2014.

At some point while driving, the suspect lost control of his vehicle and hit a sign on North Frontage Road. The suspect then merged back onto Route 46 and crossed over into the opposite lane of traffic. After slamming into the 28-year-old victim, the suspect’s vehicle rolled over and hit a tree.

The victim, a Roxbury NJ man, was walking on the sidewalk as he headed to his job at a gas station located on Route 46. The victim died as a result of his injuries.

The suspect reportedly took an Ambien, a strong sleeping pill, prior to the accident. It is also believed that the suspect took a high dosage of anti-anxiety medication.

The suspect said that he is a recovering heroin addict. He reportedly took the medications on the day of the accident because he was nervous about starting a new job at a ShopRite grocery store in Succasunna, NJ.

In April 2015, the suspect pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide. The suspect also pleaded guilty to driving under the influence (DUI).

The suspect recently appeared in Morris County Superior Court in Morristown NJ for a sentencing hearing. Before the judge handed down the sentence, the suspect apologized for his actions and told the judge, “I’m sorry an innocent life has been taken away through my fault.”

The judge ultimately sentenced the suspect to 5 years in New Jersey State Prison. The suspect will be required to serve 85 percent of his sentence before he becomes eligible for release on parole.

Additionally, the suspect’s NJ driver’s license was revoked for a period of 10 years.

When issuing the sentence, the judge noted that the suspect has two prior convictions for driving while intoxicated (DWI). Moreover, the suspect was on probation when the fatal accident occurred – he reportedly stole jewelry from his relatives in order to support his heroin addiction.

For more information about this case, see the DailyRecord.com article entitled “Impaired Driver Gets 5 Years for Killing Roxbury Pedestrian.”