Toms River Woman Pleads Guilty in Drunk Driving Crash That Killed 18-Year-Old Brick Teen
What happened
A 20-year-old Toms River woman has pleaded guilty in connection with a 2024 drunk driving crash that claimed the life of 18-year-old Catalina Reinoso of Brick Township.
Prosecutors said Kailyn Gorga was driving with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.099% when she lost control of her vehicle on Lacey Road in Manchester shortly before 3 a.m. on April 14, 2024. The car overturned, killing Reinoso, who later became an organ donor and helped save nine lives, according to her family.
Gorga pleaded guilty Friday to vehicular homicide and assault by auto. She is scheduled to be sentenced on October 23, with prosecutors seeking a 7-year state prison sentence on the vehicular homicide charge, subject to New Jersey's No Early Release Act, meaning she would have to serve 85% of her sentence before becoming eligible for parole. The assault-by-auto sentence is expected to run concurrently.
Our thoughts remain with Catalina's family and loved ones. 💙
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