A 49-year-old Franklinville woman was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and narcotics when she caused a November crash that killed her passenger, according to Washington Township police.
Barbara A. Stell was charged with first-degree reckless homicide and three other offenses resulting from the two-vehicle crash on Nov. 24. At approximately 5:07 p.m., police, fire, EMS and Inspira Paramedics responded to the scene at Hurffville-Crosskeys and Chapel Heights roads in front of the township high school, where a passenger was trapped in Stell’s Nissan Sentra.
A preliminary police investigation showed Stell was driving southbound on Hurffville-Crosskeys Road when her vehicle collided with the rear of a 2011 Chevrolet Traverse driven by a 61-year-old female from Egg Harbor Township.
Stell’s 46 year-old male passenger – a Philadelphia resident who wasn’t identified – was unconscious and unresponsive at the scene and later pronounced dead at Jefferson Hospital. Stell was transported to Cooper University Hospital with neck and back pain. The 61-year-old driver of the Chevrolet Traverse was treated at Jefferson Hospital for neck pain.
Southbound Hurffville-Crosskeys Road was closed for approximately two hours while the crash was investigated. A criminal complaint and warrant were authorized against Stell, and she was arrested and remanded to the Salem County Jail on Jan. 29. She was released by court order the following day.
Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information that may help investigators is asked to contact officer Evan Lick at eplick@pd.twp.washington.nj.us.
