NJ driver gets short prison term for drunk, wrong-way deadly crash

A 21-year-old Old Bridge man who admitted to a deadly, wrong-way crash on Route 18 would spend the next few years in prison, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone announced.

On Friday, James Cannici was sentenced to five years for causing the death of 45-year-old Florence Akoma, of Sayreville, last summer.

Of that term, he would have to serve just over four before being eligible for parole.

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The night of July 16, 2023, Cannici was driving a Nissan Rogue after 11 p.m. when he turned left from Ferris Road onto the wrong side of the highway, hitting a Honda Accord and another vehicle.

Akoma, a passenger in the Accord, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Honda driver was seriously wounded and hospitalized, while the driver of the other vehicle suffered minor injuries.

Cannici was arrested at the scene for driving while intoxicated and later charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter, second-degree vehicular homicide, third-degree aggravated assault and fourth-degree assault by auto.

He pleaded guilty on Feb. 2 under a plea deal that dropped the heaviest charge of aggravated manslaughter.

Upon release, Cannici would be on parole supervision for three years and have his driving privileges suspended for five years.