Manchester Man To Get 3 Years In Fatal 2018 DUI Crash: Prosecutor

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Manchester Township man is expected to be sentenced to three years in prison in the death of a Florida woman who was killed in a 2018 head-on crash when he was under the influence of prescription medications, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office announced Thursday.

The anticipated sentence is part of a plea agreement reached with William Orr, 70, of Whiting, and only after extensive discussions with the family of the victim, Elizabeth Patashinsky, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

"But for the compassionate and forgiving nature of the victim’s family — and their unequivocal desire to achieve closure after this two-and-one-half-year-long nightmare — this plea agreement would never have even been contemplated by this office, let alone approved," Billhimer said.

"It is only by the grace of Ms. Patashinsky’s family that we agreed to a sentence that is significantly less than what would otherwise have been recommended to the Court. This defendant should consider himself very fortunate that the victim’s family — in a show of tremendous mercy — requested this case be resolved in this manner," he said.

Patashinsky, 40, of Palm Bay, Florida, succumbed to injuries she suffered in the crash that happened about 3:30 p.m. on Sept. 28, 2018. Orr, who was driving a 2018 Hyundai Elantra west on Lacey Road in Lacey Township crossed over the center line and hit the 2017 Nissan Sentra that Patashinsky was driving, the prosecutor's office said.

A passenger in Patashinsky’s vehicle, William Muset, 66, of Whiting, was taken to Community Medical Center, treated for his injuries in the crash, and released.

Orr, who was treated at the scene for his injuries, showed no signs of impairment at the scene, and he was not able to perform any field sobriety tests due to a back injury that required him to use a cane for balance, the prosecutor's office said. Orr was nevertheless taken to Community Medical Center, where he voluntarily consented to a draw of his blood.

On Oct. 29, 2018, Orr's toxicology results showed four medications, which had been lawfully prescribed to him: alprazolam, gabapentin, oxycodone and zolpidem. Although no alcohol or illegal narcotics were detected in Orr’s system, forensic toxicologists concluded the combined psychoactive effects of those medications made Orr unfit to safely operate a motor vehicle, Billhimer said. Orr was arrested that day and was held in jail briefly but released Nov. 2, 2018, under New Jersey's bail reform rules.

Orr, who pleaded guilty Thursday to vehicular homicide and driving under the influence before Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan, is to be sentenced May 10 to three years in prison with three years of parole ineligibility, Billhimer said.

"But for the compassionate and forgiving nature of the victim’s family — and their unequivocal desire to achieve closure after this two-and-one-half-year-long nightmare — this plea agreement would never have even been contemplated by this office, let alone approved," Billhimer said.

"It is only by the grace of Ms. Patashinsky’s family that we agreed to a sentence that is significantly less than what would otherwise have been recommended to the Court. This defendant should consider himself very fortunate that the victim’s family — in a show of tremendous mercy — requested this case be resolved in this manner," he said.

"I wish to remind the public that impaired driving is not limited to being under the influence of illegal drugs or alcohol," Billhimer said. "The combined effects of ingesting even prescription medications might very well have a deleterious impact upon one’s ability to safely operate a motor vehicle."

"I urge all motorists who use prescription medications to exercise extreme caution before they drive; failure to do so may produce deadly consequences, as this case so painfully demonstrates," he said.

Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Michael Abatemarco handled the case. The Prosecutor’s Office Vehicular Homicide Unit, Lacey Township Police Department, Stafford Township Police Department, Manchester Township Police Department, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit investigated.

Click here to get Patch email notifications, or download our app to have breaking news alerts sent right to your phone. Have a news tip? Email karen.wall@patch.com Follow Manchester Patch on Facebook.