COURT HOUSE – Gerald White and Eryk Wnek, the two drivers charged in the worst accidents in Wildwood Sept. 24, had their first appearance in court Oct. 3, NJ Advance Media reported.
White’s charges were upgraded Sept. 28 when county prosecutor Jeffrey Sutherland announced he would face first-degree charges of manslaughter. The news came as the Wildwoods mourned the death of two from the accident.
According to the prosecutor who spoke Oct. 3, White was first approached by a Wildwood police officer shortly before 9:30 p.m., NJ Advance Media reported.
White had a mask covering his entire face and was not wearing a seatbelt. He allegedly backed into a pickup truck and drove off after making eye contact with the officer.
The prosecutor said that soon after, he hit the Civic and then two pedestrians. It’s said that he immediately jumped out and ran, tossing his mask aside.
The public defender assigned to White argued that he should be released to help continue caring for his mother in Delaware, where he has lived for the past seven years, NJ.com reported.
In the end, the totality of evidence introduced was enough for Judge Christopher Gibson to order White held pending trial.
Wnek, who allegedly collided with a golf cart on Rio Grande, also faced the court Oct. 3.
Some members of the public have wondered online and in Spout Off as to why the driver of the second car involved at the time of Wnek’s crash was not also arrested.
Answering these questions, the prosecutor argued that Wnek would not have collided with the second vehicle or hit the golf cart had he not been doing a burnout at the time.
The prosecutor said the driver of the golf cart suffered a brain bleed, broken vertebrae, collarbone, ribs and kneecap, according to NJ Advance Media.
The driver of the black car fled the scene of the crash.
Wnek, defended by attorney Louis Barbone, argued the prosecutor’s reasoning was pure speculation. Barbone argued that his client was not at fault, but instead, it was the unknown driver of the black car who was at fault, NJ Advance Media reported.
The judge ultimately agreed, allowing Wnek to be released and declining to revoke his license before his Nov. 2 pre-trial hearing.
Any charges are accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
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