Posted on 05/10/2025 8:41:55 PM PDT by xxqqzz
A teenager charged with killing his 15-year-old passenger in a high-speed crash has been sentenced to four years in a youth correctional facility.
His mother, who lent her son her car the night of the crash even though he didn’t have a license, was sentenced to five years in prison.
Dane T. Pierce, now 19, and his mother, Tisha Gargon, 53, both of Pittsgrove, were sentenced Thursday in Salem County court after pleading guilty to charges in March.
Pierce was indicted in 2023 on first-degree aggravated manslaughter and second-degree reckless vehicular homicide charges in the March 2022 crash in Pittsgrove that killed Evan D’Anjou, a Schalick High School student.
At the time of the crash, Pierce was 16 and ineligible for a driver’s license. He was speeding at 108 mph before running a stop sign at McKishen Road and Buck Road, according to court documents.
The car traveled across Buck Road, went off the roadway, and hit a tree, police said. At the scene, Pierce allegedly told police he had “killed his best friend,” referring to D’Anjou.
Pierce’s case was waived from family court to criminal court in 2023, where he was charged as an adult with “operating a motor vehicle while unlicensed and recklessly under the influence of marijuana,” according to New Jersey State Police.
In Salem County Superior Court Thursday, Pierce’s attorney sought to reduce his sentence to three years.
However, following the Salem County Prosecutor’s Office’s plea deal recommendation, Judge Russell DePersia sentenced Pierce to four years in a youth correctional facility, with 85% of the term required before parole eligibility.
“Honor your best friend,” Judge DePersia told Pierce after the sentencing. “These families were once very close, and this family treated you like their own kid. Honor your best friend.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
108? Should get major jail time
If they didn’t like the law in New Jersey, they could’ve moved to another state instead of trying to make their own rules.
He hit a tree at 100 mph and survived?
I dunno
I can't say which is more sad. That there are lawyers who file these kind of lawsuits, or that some judge will let some "expert" testify in support of it.
Easy to miss a stop sign at 108 mph if you’re high and not paying attention.
Don't I know it!
🤔
Can you legally buy Marijuana in NJ?
“Can you legally buy Marijuana in NJ?”
Now you can, but don’t think it was legal in 2023 (not sure!)
Also, assume you have to be 18 at least for that.
I disagree with your dogmatic statement that 108 is worthy of jail time. 108 at 16, without a license and the requisite skill to drive at high speeds (resulting in death) Yes, jail time for the death.
Did the article mention the speed limit? If it was a 35 residential zone it’s different than a 55 or 65 road.
108 mph on any public road or anywhere but a controlled racing venue is dangerous and stupid.
An animal, person, or object in the path equals disaster.
Too many people arrogantly assume non-existent special driving skills and privileges.
I would prefer lifetime operator ban in addition for persons who caused deaths by impaired or unreasonable driving or operating any other equipment. And same for enablers.
Yes, but I disagree about the mom getting 5 years jail time. She did let the son take the car, but that's a stretch that she is also guilty of the other kids death. The son should do some time in prison after he becomes an adult, spending time as a juvenile in lockup. But the mom should get a year or two. Murderers that use guns to kill people get off with 5 years or less these days (Dan White comes to mind after shooting two officials to death, got 5 years).
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