Criminal charges in crash that killed Moorestown teen

A Little Egg Harbor man charged with aggravated manslaughter in the December crash that killed a Moorestown High School student made his first court appearance this afternoon.

Jesse J. Johns, 30, was driving a 1993 Mercury Grand Marquis on Route 38 in Southampton on Dec. 14 when it crossed the double yellow line to pass a truck and collided with a car driven by Thomas McCue, a 2007 Moorestown High graduate, state police said.

Eric Messick, 17, McCue's passenger, died at the scene. McCue and Johns were treated for injuries at Cooper University Hospital and released.

At a court hearing today, Superior Court Judge John A. Almeida granted Assistant Burlington County Prosecutor Thaddeus Drummond's request to keep Johns' bail at $500,000.

Johns remains in Burlington County Jail.

Shortly after the accident, Johns was charged with driving under the influence and other traffic offenses. Authorities added the criminal charges this week after toxicology tests showed that Johns' blood-alcohol level was above the legal limit at the time of the crash.

The new charges include first-degree aggravated manslaughter, second-degree vehicular homicide and three counts of assault by auto. He had previously been charged with reckless driving, improper passing, failure to maintain a lane, failure to give a proper signal, and failure to keep right.

Johns' license has been suspended 20 times in New Jersey, according to Motor Vehicle Commission records. None of the violations was DWI, according to commission records, and 19 were not moving violations.

Messick's death came a week after another Moorestown student, Evan Welch, died when the car he was riding in went into a ditch.