Toms River Woman Sentenced for Vehicular Homicide

The Toms River woman who survived a January 2012 car crash in Howell that killed the other driver but spared three children can expect to spend at least four years in prison.

Bilgye Santamaria, 36, was sentenced to five years today in Monmouth Superior Court on charges of vehicular homicide and endangering the welfare of a child.

She'll be subject to New Jersey's "No Early Release Act" (NERA), and is required to serve

The onetime Bayville resident admitted her role in the death of Eileen Figueroa, 26, of Freehold Township. Investigators said that Santamaria's SUV was clocked at least 34 miles per hour over the posted speed in that stretch of Route 9 when she ran the signal at Strickland Road at about 10:43 PM.

Figueroa lingered until morning before she died at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune. Her five year old youngster and two companions, aged nine and 10, were also in the car. Police said that two sustained injuries.