Long Branch cop gets 1-year sentence for killing woman

LONG BRANCH — A police officer who admitted driving drunk when he hit a woman crossing the street was sentenced to just under a year in jail.

Jake Pasucci, 28, was sentenced to 364 days in jail and five years of probation on Thursday for his role in the death of Stanhope resident Karen Borowski, according to the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office.

The woman died when she was crossing Ocean Boulevard last September. Pasucci hit her with his 2016 Jeep and had told responding officers that he had a green light and that Borowski was jaywalking. He was originally ticketed on charges of reckless and careless driving.

The case was investigated by the Middlesex County Prosecutor's office to avoid any conflict of interest. In addition to his time in jail and probation, Pasucci will also give up his job with the Long Branch Police Department and lose his license for three months.

Pasucci was allowed to stay free pending an appeal.

He pleaded guilty in April to third-degree strict liability vehicular homicide and driving while intoxicated.