Female Driver Charged with Death by Auto for Fatal Expressway Accident

HAMILTON TOWNSHIP – A Philadelphia woman was arrested yesterday evening, charged with death by auto in connection with a one-vehicle crash on the Atlantic City Expressway that killed two people and injured four others in June of this year, Atlantic County Prosecutor Jim McClain announced.

On June 20, 2014 at approximately 7:07 a.m., New Jersey State Police responded to milepost 22.7 of the Atlantic City Expressway in Hamilton Township for a single-vehicle fatal crash. A white 1996 Ford F-250 pickup truck driven by Roselyn D. Kornegay, 45, of the 1600 block of Harrison Street, Philadelphia, PA, was traveling westbound on the Expressway when it left the roadway toward the center median, struck a guardrail and overturned.

Kornegay and her two passengers inside the pickup truck’s cab, and three additional passengers who were riding within the truck-bed, were all ejected from the vehicle to the roadway.

All five passengers were from Philadelphia.

Front seat passenger James Dennis, 35, was pronounced dead at the scene. Kornegay and the other front seat passenger—a 4 year-old boy—were transported by helicopter to Cooper University Hospital, Camden. The child died from his injuries at approximately 3:30 p.m.

The remaining passengers, Dion Kornegay, Brian Gregory, and Shaniqua Abrams were transported by helicopter to AtlantCare Regional Medical Center-City Division, in Atlantic City, and treated for serious injuries.

A joint investigation by the New Jersey State Police Fatal Accident Investigation Unit and the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office resulted in County Prosecutor authorization for the preparation of the following charges against Roselyn Kornegay:

• 1) 2 counts of Death by Auto, for operating a vehicle and causing death while under the influence of alcohol—a 2nd degree crime, 
• 2) 3 counts of Assault by Auto—a 3rd degree crime, and 
• 3) 1 count of Endangering the Welfare of a Child—a 2nd degree crime. 
• 
  Kornegay surrendered herself to New Jersey State Police at the NJSP-Belmawr Station yesterday evening at approximately 8:30 p.m., and was subsequently lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility in lieu of $100,000 cash/bond bail, set by Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Bernard E. DeLury. 
• A 2nd degree crime carries a potential sentence of 5 to 10 years of incarceration in New Jersey State prison. A 3rd degree crime carries a potential sentence of 5 years of imprisonment. 
• These charges are merely an accusation and not proof of guilt. In all criminal cases a charged defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
• Anyone with information involving serious crimes is asked to call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-909-7800 or go to the Prosecutor’s Office Web site at http://www.acpo.org/tips.html and provide information by filling out the form anonymously on the Submit a Tip page. People can also call Crime Stoppers at 609-652- 1234 or 1-800-658-8477 (TIPS) or visit the Crime Stoppers Website at http://www.crimestoppersatlantic.com/. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to the arrest and indictment of those who commit crimes in Atlantic County.