Long Branch man given 5 years for Monmouth University coed’s road death

The defendant who admitted running down and killing a Monmouth University student with his pickup truck in 2013 while on Xanax is sentenced to five years in prison.

Joseph Stovall, 48, pleaded guilty in June to a second-degree vehicular homicide charge in the death of Victora Tropper, 21, of Marlboro. He also accepted a guilty plea to a fourth-degree count of assault by auto for injuries incurred by a third driver.

He must serve all but three months of the full term under New Jersey's No Early Relase Act, according to the office of Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni's office.

Stovall is also ordered to undergo lifetime suspension of his New Jesey driver's license and to adhere to parole supervision for three years.

Police who investigated the incident reported that the coed had been involved in a minor road scrape with Thomas Troiano, 49, of Cherry Hill, at about 7:45 PM on Joline Avenue in Long Branch.

The two stopped on the shoulder of the road to exchange information and look over car damage.

Stovall, in a Dodge Ram pickup, swerved onto the shoulder, hitting Tropper's car and pushing it into Troiano, then hitting and killing the young woman, police said. Troiano sustained multiple lacerations.

At his plea hearing, Stovall admitted being under the influence of Xanax, and having no prescription for it.

Monmouth County's case was led by Assistant Prosecutors Melanie Falco and Stephanie Dugan. Stovall was represented by West Long Branch attorney Charles Moriarty.