- Police responded to calls about a speeding BMW and found the driver refusing to pull over.
- Despite discontinuing the chase, authorities say the driver still sped on and caused a fatal crash.
- Now, two innocent motorists are dead, and the unlicensed juvenile driver is facing prison time.
A tragic reminder of the deadly consequences of speeding has surfaced in Toms River, NJ, where police are working to piece things together after a reckless crash claimed two young lives. Authorities say the joyrider, an unlicensed minor, was livestreaming when the fatal collision occurred, adding an unsettling layer to an already senseless act.
At 10:45 p.m. officers first noticed a speeding BMW (believed to be a 3-Series sedan, though it’s not clear) and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. The driver fled rather than slow down and officers broke off the chase in the interest of safety. Data indicates that most fleeing drivers slow down once police stop chasing. Sadly, that’s not what happened in this case. Less than 15 minutes later, two innocent people would lose their lives.
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Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer told Patch that the BMW collided with a Toyota Camry, which had four occupants, at the intersection of Route 37 and Route 166. While it’s unclear how fast the white BMW sedan was traveling when it struck the Camry, officers say they recorded at least a few moments of the BMW reaching 118 mph (189 km/h) in a 35 mile per hour zone.
The two front occupants of the Toyota, Evan Fiore, 23, and his girlfriend, Kiley Armstrong, 21, were killed at the scene, while two others, Kiley’s twin sister, Krista Armstrong, 21, and her boyfriend, Ryan Chapman, 19, are currently dealing with critical injuries in the hospital. Two occupants of the BMW were also injured but were released after treatment. The driver of the BMW, an unlicensed minor, sustained no injuries in the wreck.
Now, the juvenile, whose identity has not been disclosed due to his age, is facing charges of aggravated manslaughter, four counts of aggravated assault causing bodily injury while eluding, two counts of death by auto, two counts of causing death while driving unlicensed, two counts of causing injury while driving unlicensed, two counts of aggravated assault manifesting extreme indifference to human life, eluding, and four counts of assault by auto.
It’s unclear if this accident had anything to do with the relatively recent trend in the tri-states area of what some call ‘swimming.’ It’s an activity where drivers intentionally bait police into chases, cut through traffic, and sometimes crash while livestreaming. Regardless of this accident’s connection to that trend, hopefully it’ll be a sobering reminder to everyone to be safe out there.