An intoxicated woman was driving more than 90 mph with her headlights off after drinking at a bar when she crashed head-on into another car, killing the 17-year-old driver last year in Burlington County, authorities said Thursday.
Wanda Sprague, 54, of Pemberton Township, was charged with reckless manslaughter and vehicular homicide in the deadly crash, according to Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina.
Sprague had left a Browns Mills bar and was driving her Chrysler 300 when the car slammed head-on into a Nissan Sentra being driven by Kayla Bowen shortly after 9 p.m. Dec. 16 in Pemberton Township, according to the prosecutor.
Bowen, a senior at Pemberton Township High School, died at the scene near Lakehurst Road and Rancocas Lane, Coffina said in a joint statement with township Police Chief Jason Watters.
Sprague suffered “extensive injuries” in the wreck, according to the prosecutor. In addition to criminal charges, she was also issued multiple traffic summonses, including operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs, Coffina said.
Born in Hoboken, Bowen was enrolled in her high school’s medical arts program and remembered as a “caring, thoughtful, compassionate, strong, intelligent, honorable, trustworthy, sassy, witty, funny and loving person,” according to her obituary.
“She was loved by everyone that met her. Kayla excelled in everything she put her mind to. She was an excellent and creative artist. She was also amazing at building and fixing almost anything. She trained in martial arts and was a natural. There wasn’t anything that Kayla couldn’t accomplish,” the obituary stated.
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Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com.