A New Jersey man who was driving 107 mph when he slammed into a parked car and killed a sleeping 8-year-old boy in Absecon has pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter.
Edward Johnston, 25, is expected to receive a 15-year stint in state prison when he is sentenced on May 13, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office said.
He will be required to serve at least 12 years and nine months before he is eligible for parole.
Johnston was intoxicated when he veered off the White Horse Pike and hit the parked vehicle at about 3:25 a.m. on July 23, 2023.
Javier Velez, of Philadelphia, was asleep in the car while his father and brother fished in a creek beside the family’s vehicle, officials said.
Days after her son’s death, Velez’s mother told 6abc.com the vehicle was parked far off the busy road, not on the shoulder.
Johnston, of Egg Harbor City, was arrested and charged with aggravated manslaughter on November 16, 2023. At the time of the crash, he was also issued summonses for operating under the influence of liquor or drugs, reckless driving and exceeding the speed limit by 55 to 59 miles per hour.
A description on a GoFundMe campaign for the boy’s family describes Javier as someone who was beloved by his family.
“Javier was so full of love and life,” the description reads. “He brightened the day of everyone he came in contact with in his short life.”
Stories by Jeff Goldman
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Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.