Speeding Driver Who Crashed Into Fanwood Home Was on Drugs, Police Say

A Plainfield man has been charged with driving while under the influence of drugs when he crashed into a Fanwood home in July, police said.

Jay Williams, 43, has been charged with possession of drug paraphernalia and driving under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance. He also received a motor vehicle charge of driving under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance for the July 12 crash.

Williams' speeding car hit the lawn of a home on the corner of Paterson Road and Hunter Avenue, launching it up a hill, airborne and over a driveway with two vehicles before striking another home and overturning when it struck a third home.

Fanwood Police Chief Richard Trigo said the department recently received positive test results back from the State Police lab indicating Williams was under the influence of a drug at the time of the crash. Trigo said he could not reveal what the specific drug was. Trigo also said the department could not be sure whether Williams was conscious when he crashed. 
 
Witnesses estimated the car, a black BMW sedan, was traveling in excess of 100 miles per hour.

"He was going eastbound on Paterson Road, went up a hill on the lawn of the house on the corner of Paterson and Hunter Avenue, which launched him up and nearly over two parked cars, including a truck, in the driveway," Fanwood Police Chief Richard Trigo said at the scene. "He then slid across the lawn at the next house, 148 Paterson, before overturning, striking and stopping on the lawn of the final home at 152."

The Fanwood Fire Department removed Williams using the jaws of life and he was taken to Robert Wood Johnson hospital. No one else was injured and the residents of the third home were not home at the time of the crash. 

"It was the fastest vehicle I have ever seen in person," said Kathy Porter, who was reading a book and just thinking about how nice the day was on the porch of her home on Hunter Avenue. "It had to be going over 100 miles per hour. It came screaming through the intersection, hit the top of the first car and then went airborne. It was horrifying to watch. He was going so fast I expected to see police cars chasing behind, but there were none."