The driver of the truck that slammed into a New Jersey family on Route 1 last year was sentenced to 1-year of probation on Friday.
Last year on July 6, 2018, at approximately 3:47 p.m., a 2007 Ford F-350 was traveling southbound, in the left lane on State Route 1 Highway (Rt. 1) in the vicinity of Noxontown Road. A 2002 Mercury Sable was traveling northbound on Rt. 1 just north of Pine Tree Road, and a 1998 Toyota Sienna was traveling a short distance behind the Sable.
For unknown reasons, the F-350, operated by Alvin Hubbard III, 45, of East New Market, Maryland, failed to remain in the southbound lanes of travel and exited the roadway, crossing over the grassy median and into the northbound lanes of travel on Route 1. The front driver’s side of the F-350 struck the left rear side of the Sable, causing the Sable to spin out of control and come to a rest in an embankment. The F-350 continued out of control southbound in the northbound lanes, when the front of the Sienna struck the passenger side of the F-350. The impact caused both vehicles to be displaced off the edge of the roadway and into a ditch.
As a result of the crash, Hubbard was transported to a local area hospital where he was treated and released with non-life threatening injuries. He was properly restrained and it is unknown if impairment was a factor on his behalf, police said at the time. His passenger, a 30-year-old male from Hurlock, MD, was properly restrained and was also transported to a local area hospital where he was treated and released with non-life threatening injuries.
The operator of the Sable, a 24-year-old male from Bethlehem PA, was transported to a local area hospital where he was treated and released with non-life threatening injuries. He was properly restrained and impairment didn’t appear to be a factor on his behalf, officials said at the time.
The operator of the Sienna, Audie Trinidad traveling with his family was killed in the crash along with his four daughters, Kaitlyn, Danna, Allison, and Melissa Trinidad, all of Teaneck, New Jersey. The mother, Mary Rose Ballocanag, the lone survivor from the Trinidad vehicle, suffered serious injuries and had to be hospitalized for her injuries.
At the time, police said Audie Trinidad was properly restrained and pronounced deceased at the scene. His four daughters, ages 20, 17, and two 13-year-olds, who were not properly restrained, were also pronounced deceased at the scene, according to police.
In June of 2019, Hubbard, who was originally facing five felony counts of second-degree vehicular homicide in the deaths, pled guilty to lesser charges.
He was also originally charged with three counts of vehicular assault, inattentive driving, driving on the wrong side of the road and failure to obey a traffic device.
As part of the plea deal Hubbard pled guilty to five counts of operation of a motor vehicle causing death, and two counts of vehicular assault. The assault charges stemmed from injuries suffered by the mother, along with his passenger and the driver from Pennsylvania, who was also injured in the crash.
Hubbard was facing up to 14 years in prison prior to today’s hearing.
