A New Jersey man who was drunk, high and driving without a license was sentenced to five years in state prison for causing a crash last year that left six people injured.
Jose C. Villanueva-Izaguirre, 24, of Plainfield, was also ordered to pay $17,623.73 restitution to one of the injured, the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office said Friday.
Villanueva-Izaguirre blew through a red light at the intersection of Route 22 east and Vosseller Avenue at about 2:10 a.m. on June 11, 2023, officials said.
One of the three passengers in the car he took from an acquaintance without permission suffered “near-fatal” injuries, the prosecutor’s office said. Two of the three people in the car Villanueva-Izaguirre struck were seriously hurt. The others in the two vehicles were left with minor injuries.
Villanueva-Izaguirre had a blood alcohol content of 0.12%, well above the legal limit of 0.08.%. He also had cocaine in his system, tests revealed.
In March, he pleaded guilty to 10 total counts of assault by auto assault, driving while unlicensed, and causing serious bodily injury and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle. Villanueva-Izaguirre also admitted he was drunk and driving while unlicensed.
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Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.
