Howell man charged with vehicular homicide

Richard Tremblay Jr. Joseph Gonsalves is charged with his death.

Joseph Gonsalves, 20, of Howell Township faces charges of Vehicular Homicide, Driving While Intoxicated, Underage Driving While Intoxicated, Reckless Driving, Speeding and Failure to Maintain Lane, according to an announcement by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office. Gonsalves surrendered to the police yesterday and is in custody at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution on $75,000 bail with no cash option as set by Judge Angela White Dalton.

On April 16, shortly after 10 p.m., Ronald Tremblay Jr, 21, also of Howell, was a passenger in the back seat of a car that Gonsalves was driving east on Alexander Ave when the vehicle left the road and struck several trees before coming to rest. Tremblay had head trauma and was found non-responsive in the backseat and died later that night at Kimball Medical Center in Lakewood, according to published reports of the accident. Another passenger, Brandon Roselli, 21 of Manalapan, suffered minor injuries, as did Tremblay.

An investigation by the Monmouth Count Prosecutors Office and the Howell Township Police Department determined that Gonsalves was speeding just prior to the crash and was operating the vehicle under the influence of alcohol.

If convicted, Gonsalves faces up to 10 years in state prison subject to the provisions of the “No Early Release Act” which required that 85% of a sentence be served before parole can be considered.

Anyone with additional information about this case is urged to call Detective Eric Kerecman of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-800-533-7443 or Patrolman Matthew Cherney of the Howell Township Police Department at 732-938-4575.