Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on November 3, 2025, Stephen McGuire, 48, of Howell, pled guilty before the Honorable David M. Fritch, J.S.C., to Strict Liability Vehicular Homicide and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, in connection with an incident that occurred in Manchester Township on December 12, 2020. At the time of his sentencing on January 9, 2026, the State will be seeking a term of three years New Jersey State Prison.
On December 12, 2020, at approximately 8:30 p.m., Officers from the Manchester Township Police Department responded to Heritage Minerals Mine – also known as ASARCO – on Route 70 in Whiting for a report of a motor vehicle accident with submersion. Responding Officers spoke to a group of individuals who were operating Utility Terrain Vehicles (UTVs); the group related to the Officers that a UTV had driven into the lake at the center of the property, causing the UTV and its passengers to be submerged in the lake.
A subsequent investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad and Manchester Township Police Department revealed that a UTV being driven by McGuire – which included James Grover, 62, also of Howell, and three minors as passengers – had entered the lake. The UTV and Mr. Grover did not resurface. The other passengers and members of the group attempted to locate Mr. Grover but were unsuccessful. Manchester Township Police and members of the Manchester, Ridgeway, and Whiting Volunteer Fire Companies conducted an underwater dive search and rescue operation and located the UTV overturned and submerged in 25 feet of water. Mr. Grover was attached to the UTV by his safety harness. Mr. Grover was removed from his safety harness, and life saving measures were performed by Manchester Township Emergency Medical Technicians and Robert Wood Johnson paramedics. Mr. Grover succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.
In furtherance of the investigation, McGuire was taken to Community Medical Center in Toms River. A warrant was obtained for a draw of his blood; laboratory results from the blood draw, received by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office on January 5, 2021, revealed that McGuire had a Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) of .127. In the State of New Jersey, an operator of a motor vehicle is presumed to be over the legal limit for purposes of alcohol consumption where his/her BAC is .08 or greater.
On January 5, 2021, McGuire was arrested without incident at his residence in Howell by Detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad and Officers from Manchester Township Police Department. He was transported to the Ocean County Jail and subsequently released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform.
“This plea agreement was reached only after extensive discussions with the family of Mr. Grover, who expressed an unequivocal desire to extend mercy to this defendant,” Prosecutor Billhimer stated. “Their compassionate and forgiving nature brings this very difficult chapter to a close and permits the healing process to begin; we hope this resolution provides Mr. Grover’s family with some level of peace,” Prosecutor Billhimer concluded.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Senior Assistant Prosecutor Stephen Burke who is handling the case on behalf of the State and commends the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Victim Witness Advocacy Unit, Manchester Township Police Department, New Jersey State Police Aviation Unit, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Manchester Township Volunteer Fire Company, Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company, Whiting Volunteer Fire Company, Manchester Township Emergency Medical Services, Robert Wood Johnson Paramedics, and Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office, for their collaborative efforts relative to this investigation.