LAVALLETTE – The driver whose SUV crashed into the outdoor dining area of a Lavallette restaurant, killing a Toms River woman and injuring seven others, will not face criminal charges, police said Wednesday.
Jean S. Chomuk, 93, of Lavallette, was issued a summons for careless driving in the Sept. 19 crash at Meg’s Grill. Police Chief Christian W. LaCicero told Jersey Shore Online that the decision not to file criminal charges came after investigators reviewed the case with the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
Police said Chomuk was parking when she pressed the accelerator instead of the brake. The SUV drove through the restaurant’s outdoor seating area and struck the building. Ursula “Sandie” Keating, 56, of Toms River, was killed, and seven other patrons were injured. The restaurant’s owner said no employees were hurt.
The police department has asked the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to reexamine Chomuk’s driving skills. The careless driving summons is an accusation, and she is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Keating’s death has brought an outpouring of support for her family from the local first responder community. Her husband, John Keating Jr., is chief of the Silverton Volunteer Fire Company and works for Manchester Township Emergency Medical Services. Their son is also a Silverton firefighter.
Keating previously volunteered as an emergency medical technician in Garfield and was active in a Garfield Fire Department ladies auxiliary, according to her obituary. She most recently worked as a secretary at Central Jersey Hand in Freehold. Her family remembered her love of concerts, beach trips and time spent together.
Visitation is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 25, beginning at 3 p.m. at Silverton Memorial Funeral Home, 2482 Church Road in Toms River. A prayer service will begin at 7:30 p.m. The family has requested donations to a charity of the donor’s choice in lieu of flowers.
The post No Criminal Charges In Fatal Lavallette Restaurant Crash appeared first on Jersey Shore Online.
