The Gloucester Township Police Department has upgraded criminal charges in connection with a two-vehicle crash on Oct. 11 that took the life of a 76-year-old Williamstown man.
Officers responded to the scene at the intersection of Berlin Cross Keys and Johnson roads in Sicklerville at about 10:13 p.m. to find an SUV and a sedan severely damaged and all three occupants injured. They were transported to a nearby hospital, where the SUV’s driver, Louis Bontya, later died. The Vietnam veteran’s 75-year-old wife, Christina, suffered serious injuries.
The intersection remained closed for several hours as police conducted their investigation. Along with the Camden County Prosecutor’s Office, investigators gathered evidence in the weeks after the crash that led to charges of death by auto and a DWI against the sedan’s driver, 23-year-old Marcus A. Young of Sicklerville.
Young now faces a charge of aggravated manslaughter and is being held at the Camden County Correctional Facility. He also received summonses for reckless driving, failure to obey a traffic control device, speeding and failure to wear a seat belt.
The township police department sees the case as an opportunity to remind motorists to drive safely.
“Stay alert, minimize distractions, obey traffic signals, adhere to posted speed limits and never operate a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” the department said in a release. “Impaired or careless driving puts every road user at risk. Safe decisions save lives.”
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information that may help investigators is urged to contact police at (856) 228-4500. Anonymous tips can be submitted through the police Tip Portal, the anonymous tip line at (856) 842-5560 or by texting “TIPGLOTWPPD” and a message to 888777.
