32-Year-Old Philadelphia Pennsylvania Man Sentenced To State Prison For Driving Drunk & Killing His Passenger
Tuesday, June 18, 2024, 4:45 A.M. ET. By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ.- Last Wednesday, a 32-year-old Philadelphia, Pennsylvania man was sentenced to New Jersey State Prison in connection with a fatal crash that occurred on March 27, 2024, that claimed the life of a 23-year-old Philadelphia woman.
According to Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone, on Wednesday, June 12, 2024, Yvenson Louis, 32, appeared in Middlesex County Superior Court and was sentenced by the Honorable Thomas Abode, J.S.C. to a term of 3 years in State Prison subject to The No Early Release Act which will require Louis to serve 85% of his custodial sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
Judge Abode also ordered that Louis will be required to serve an additional 3 years of parole supervision upon his release, and will have his New Jersey State driving privileges suspended for a term of 5 years.
The sentence stems from an investigation that began on March 27, 2023, when just around 2:45 a.m., New Jersey State Troopers were notified of a serious motor vehicle crash on the Southbound side of the New Jersey Turnpike at mile marker 87.5. Upon arrival at the location, State Troopers found that a 2012 Dodge Journey had rear-ended a 2019 Volvo Tractor-Trailer. As a result of the crash, Teyonna Balkman, 23, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania a passenger in the Dodge, sustained life-threatening injuries and was pronounced deceased at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
A subsequent investigation, by Detective Michael Silvestre of the New Jersey State Police, determined that Mr. Louis was under the influence of alcohol and marijuana while driving the 2012 Dodge Journey when he rear-ended the Tractor-Trailer at a high rate of speed. The impact of the crash caused Ms. Balkman to sustain the life-threatening injuries that led to her death.
The other passengers in the Dodge and the driver of the Tractor-Trailer were unharmed in the crash.
Following the investigation, on June 22, 2023, Louis was taken into custody and formally charged with first-degree Aggravated Manslaughter; and second-degree Vehicular Homicide. On April 8, 2024, Louis pled guilty to second-degree Vehicular Homicide and Driving Under the Influence.
