Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on August 24, 2023, Michelle Roselli, 36, of Spotsylvania County, Virginia, was sentenced by the Honorable Guy P. Ryan, P.J.Cr.P., to six years New Jersey State Prison (NJSP), as a result of her previously entered guilty plea to Vehicular Homicide in connection with a motor vehicle crash that occurred on January 26, 2020, at mile marker 64 southbound on the Garden State Parkway, resulting in the death of Tri Nguyen, 66, of Berkeley Township. This sentence will be subject to the terms of the No Early Release Act, meaning that Roselli will be required to serve at least 85 percent of her prison sentence before she may be considered for parole eligibility. Additionally, Judge Ryan sentenced Roselli to five years NJSP as a result of her previously entered guilty plea to Assault by Auto relative to serious bodily injury sustained by Thuy Duong, 51, also of Berkeley Township, in connection with the same crash. The sentences will run concurrently. Finally, Judge Ryan sentenced Roselli to time served in connection with her previously entered guilty plea to Driving Under the Influence, in addition to imposing a one-year suspension of her driving privileges. Roselli pled guilty to all charges before Judge Ryan on April 26, 2023.
On January 26, 2020, at approximately 5:50 p.m., the New Jersey State Police was dispatched to the area of mile marker 64 southbound on the Garden State Parkway for a report of a serious motor vehicle crash. Investigation revealed that a 2012 Honda Civic operated by Roselli failed to maintain its lane of travel and struck a 2001 Toyota Scion operated by Kathy Nguyen, 32, of Bayville. A juvenile passenger was seated in the front passenger seat of the Scion, and Mr. Nguyen and Ms. Duong were seated in the rear of the Scion. The collision caused the Scion to leave the roadway and veer off to a wooded area and strike several trees. As a result of the crash, all four passengers in the Scion were transported to Hackensack Meridian Health Southern Ocean Medical Center in Stafford Township. Kathy Nguyen and the juvenile passenger were treated for their injuries and released. Mr. Nguyen and Ms. Duong – both of whom suffered more serious injuries – were thereafter airlifted to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Pomona. On February 22, 2020, Mr. Nguyen succumbed to the injuries he suffered as a result of the crash. Ms. Duong was transferred to a Rehabilitation Facility and was subsequently released.
Responding Troopers observed that Roselli appeared to be intoxicated at the scene of the crash. Based upon those observations, Troopers attempted to administer the standardized field sobriety tests (FSTs) to Roselli. Roselli was unable to successfully perform the FSTs; as such, she was charged with Driving Under the Influence on January 26, 2020.
In furtherance of the investigation, Roselli was transported to Hackensack Meridian Health Southern Ocean Medical Center. A search warrant was obtained for a draw of her blood; laboratory results from the blood draw, later received by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, revealed the presence of 8.6 nanograms of Fentanyl in her system at the time of the crash – rendering her unfit to safely operate a motor vehicle. This fact, coupled with the death of Mr. Nguyen on February 22 2020, resulted in Roselli being charged with Vehicular Homicide and Assault by Auto on March 13, 2020. On March 20, 2020, Roselli surrendered herself to the New Jersey State Police Barracks in Galloway Township, and was transported to the Ocean County Jail. Although originally released as a consequence of New Jersey Bail Reform, Roselli was charged with an offense in another state and her release was revoked. On February 28, 2023, she was extradited to New Jersey and has been lodged in the Ocean County Jail since that date.
Prosecutor Billhimer acknowledges the diligent efforts of Senior Assistant Prosecutor Jamie Schron who handled the case on behalf of the State, and commends the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Vehicular Homicide Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office High Tech Crime Unit, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Victim Witness Advocacy Unit, New Jersey State Police Crime Scene Investigation Unit, New Jersey State Police Troop D Criminal Investigations Unit, New Jersey State Police Construction/Incident Management Unit, Stafford Township Police Department, Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office, for their combined and collective assistance in connection with this investigation leading to Roselli’s guilty pleas, and now her state prison sentence.