Man Admits Assault In 2020 Crash That Injured South Toms River Woman

TOMS RIVER, NJ ? A Manchester Township man who was drunk and high on methadone has pleaded guilty in a 2020 crash that seriously injured a woman from South Toms River, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office announced Monday.

William Andujar, 52, of Whiting, pled guilty to aggravated assault and driving under the influence of alcohol on Dec. 18 before Superior Court Judge Kimarie Rahill in connection with the crash that happened Nov. 2, 2020, in Berkeley Township, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.

Andujar was driving west on Pinewald Keswick Road about 7 p.m. on Nov. 2, 2020 in a 2010 Honda CRV when he hit a 2003 Hyundai Elantra driven by Susan Ewing, 44, of South Toms River from behind, driving her car off the road into woods, authorities said.

Ewing was seriously injured and flown to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune for treatment, and is still recovering from those injuries, Billhimer said.

Andujar also was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Billhimer said. Test results from blood drawn from him that night showed a blood alcohol concentration of .18, well over the legal limit of .08 where a driver is considered intoxicated under state law, he said. In addition, the results showed "a significant quantity of methadone" in Andujar's system, he said.

Andujar was arrested Nov. 24, 2020, and and charged with assault by auto after authorities received the lab results, and he was additionally charged with aggravated assault on Dec. 8, 2020, as a result of "further developments in the investigation," Billhimer said.

He has been held at the Ocean County Jail since his arrest. Andujar is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 23, at which time prosecutors are seeking a 5-year prison sentence subject to the terms of the No Early Release Act, the prosecutor's office said.

Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Robert Cassidy is handling the case. The Ocean County Prosecutor?s Office Vehicular Homicide Unit and Victim Witness Advocacy Unit, the Berkeley Township Police Department, South Toms River Police Department, and Ocean County Sheriff?s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit collaborated on the investigation.