Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 21

PAGE B6 LOCAL NEWS ASBURY PARK PRESS SATURDAY, MAY 8, 2004 Cods: to tared mmm to cover crash TV I By TOM TRONCONE and NINA RIZZO STAFF WRITERS FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP A man who drove his dead friend's body back to New Jersey for an unceremonious burial in the shadows of an interstate may have done so as part of an elaborate plot to cover up his culpability in the drunken-driving crash in which she died, authorities said yesterday. Investigators in Lewis County, N.Y., are looking to file "vehicular manslaughter charges against Kenneth Borger that could land the 25-year-old Hamilton Township resident in prison for up to 15 years in connection with the death of Lori Eagle Stillman, 39, of Freehold Township, Lewis County District Attorney Michael Young said. Stillman and Borger spent time drinking at a Lewis County bar before the late Saturday crash, Young said. The two were returning to a hunting cabin owned by Borger's family where they planned to spend the night together and had spent the day drinking and shooting guns when the accident occurred on a remote Lewis County road, authorities said. Medical examiners determined yesterday that Stillman died of "massive traumatic injuries consistent with an auto accident," said Casey DiBlasio, a spokeswoman for the Mercer County Prosecutor's Office.

Stillman's spinal cord was severed in the crash, DiBlasio said. She also suffered a broken pelvis, a broken leg and multiple rib fractures and likely died instantly. Borger told police he swerved to avoid deer in the road, causing the Chevrolet pickup truck to travel about 100 feet off the road into a swamp and slam into a tree. The main impact of the crash was on the passenger side of the truck. "(The truck) was totaled," said Joe O'Rourke, the tow truck operator who removed the vehicle.

"It was broke in half." Lewis County investigators are working to re-create the accident scene. They are also looking for witnesses who may have seen Borger and Stillman drinking at the West Leyden Hotel in Leyden, N.Y. Borger told police he had consumed a total of six beers and a shot of alcohol during the course of the day and night, authorities said. "In this state, a person's intoxicated condition can be described by a layman," Young said. "We are working on this one right now, and we're looking to prove criminal negligence." A finding of criminal negligence is required to file either first- or second-degree vehicular manslaughter charges in New York, Young said.

The second-degree offense is punishable by seven years in prison, while the first-degree crime differentiated by the driver's lack of a license carries a 15-year-term. Borger did not posses a valid driver's license at the time of the accident, DiBlasio said. His trench at the bottom of an embankment near Interstate 195, where he buried Stillman, DeBoskey said. Borger has been charged with evidence tampering, obstruction of Justice, hindering apprehension, leaving the scene of an accident and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle. Following his arraignment yesterday morning, he was remanded to the Mercer County Jail, where he remains in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Robertson was charged with obstruction of justice and filing a false report by the Freehold Township Police and released on $3,000 bail. "I was scared I was going to jail, and I started to wig out," Borger told police, according to Assistant Mercer County Prosecutor Kimm Lacken. Stillman's father reported her missing on Monday. Borger told police he had last seen Stillman when he dropped her off at Moore's Tavern in Freehold Township, where they had met a few months ago, Young said. Police, however, quickly debunked the story, and after several days of questioning, Borger led investigators to the gravesite Thursday, authorities said.

The Utica Observer-Dispatch contributed to this report. and phoned Erica Robertson, his live-in girlfriend in Hamilton Township. Robertson arrived in her Toyota Tacoma pickup around daybreak on Sunday, and Borger borrowed the vehicle to go into nearby Camden, where he purchased two tarps and drove back to the accident scene. He wrapped Stillman in one tarp and used the other to store her belongings, which he retrieved from the cabin, authorities said. Robertson and Borger then drove back to their Hamilton Township house, where Borger removed the body and belongings from the truck and hid them in his backyard, where they stayed until the following day, Hamilton Police Detective Sgt.

Ken DeBoskey said. Police are "95 percent certain" that Robertson was unaware of Stillman's presence, DeBoskey said. On Monday morning, Borger drove Robertson to her job at The Home Depot in Ewing before retrieving Stillman's body, taking a backhoe and driving through Hamilton Township with the body in the backhoe's bucket, DeBoskey said. A couple of miles from his house, the construction worker used the backhoe to dig a deep The body of 39-year-old Lori Eagle Stillman of Freehold Township was found In a makeshift grave near Interstate 195 In Hamilton Township Thursday. license had been suspended in Pennsylvania for drunken driving, and New Jersey reciprocated the suspension.

Borger didn't report the accident to police. Instead, he left Stillman's body in a wooded area across the road and covered her with leaves, then stole a car from a nearby home and drove to a relative's house, authorities said. At the house, he called O'Rourke to remove the wreck i a ii i e.t i tJ will beat ANYONE'S i 'V price by 20orrs mm? -3 We wifl meet any price on any Steams DOUGH30Y ISfo, 1 1x32' SILVER LAKE Cf I Complete with 52 INCH WALL! jjZTs a roster, riemet, masterpiece or t-x-p-t-n-d-s to 7 ft Sfoowr Grie ONLY Pooh from I We Ti: tether's i Dsy-CiveHsr Contort 3095 nowi Othtr tint at imtiu uvinril Poot and ImiT onty when purchawd full package 5 to sane or comoarable models.Drior to tekm ESTHER VU.LUAf.1S 24' Round HORBOTJ 52-inch walls Massive 8-tndi top rail Full 35-yr wtrrranty 1 i TiiTi inrv i iri 22? Exctades super value, mattress values, special pucfase, doseouts, exchanges, floor samples, warranties, DOUGHSOY POOLS 21'x41' Woriifi BIGGEST Above Ground a Great UTILE Price! 25-mil. printed liner a 4FS expands to 7 ft. depth 5J Pool and Unef onty whn purchased fuH paefcafic Pool and liner onry whpn purrhawl full packa CORKEUUS POOLS 1fi'x26' SOLEX Full 4-year warranty 22-mil printed liner E-X-P-A-N-D-S to 7 ft depth CHECK OUT OUR WEEKLY SPECIAL: ESTHER WELLIAMS 1x52" PARADISE Includes 20 Gauge Print Bottom Uner 16" Jacuzzi Fitter with Multi-Port Valve niter Sand 1HP Jacuzzi Pump Best Quality Udder Vac Hose and Pole Weighted Vac Head Leaf Skimmer Thni-the-Wall Skimmer Pool Shock 4 lbs.

Ph Plus 6 lbs. Ph Minus Plus BONUS PROTEAM CHEMICAL PKG. BUY a select DOUGHBOY POOL PACKAGE and Get; UPGRADE to 2hp Silica I PumD System nso aiu) NOVVI Pool and Imer only when tul pk (A $60 VALUE, FREE with Purchase) UtTHUNiWICK 299 10 DurrDaiutsnC)Wster Mai) 732-651-1965 IDltON 1002 Rte 1 (Near BJ's Wholesale Clurj) 732-494-2801 WOODUIDOi 505 KingGeorae Rd Rte 9 (Opposite McDonalds) 732-324-7787 WOOOHIDM 770 Rt 1 IBtw Starhuox's Dunhn Donuts) 732-326-1736 MiNIO MIK Rt. 1 Ford Ave (Bet Woootoe Or Menlo Park Mai 1 732-321-0200 U(T WWOKM 557 RB 130 Nissan Dairy Queen) 609-371-1711 WAU tOWNtMIFlltMU 1913 Hway 135 (Mr Huffman Koos) 732-974-3900 WIWStUY 576 Broad St (Opp The Grove- Nxt to Post Oltice) 732450-1377 HAIlit 3445 Rt 35 (Opposite Home Depot Sports Autnontyl 732-3354781 MAHAHAWKIH 297 Rt 72E (Stattord Souare Shopprig Ctr) 609-978-9837 MAT1 UUtMM 421 5 Blackrerse Pike (Cmr McKee Ave Nxt to Hoyfs Qnama) 609407-1606 JACKfON 260 Courity Line Rd (Next to the New Shop Rite) 732-9064184 MOTH UUMWKK 954 Route 11 (WaUieil ShcopingClr) 732-514-9647 TOM'S IfVII 186Hte7 (WIHOPSOop K-Mait) 732-341-8466 IMlira 1336 Hoopar Avenue lOppTamel In TJ Maxx Cemef) 732-505-2100 UTOMTOWN Goodyear 4 Monmouti Mai 1732-460-9376 IATOHTOWK OUTUT 9 Rt 36W. IR135) Nefl to Binds to Go 732-380-1868 FHiHOU 3680 Hoik 9 No (Nlejtt 10 BurtngWl Coal Faclwv) 732-294-1961 MKX TOWNINW 907 Ftoule 70 E.

(Rt 88WRf 70E OOP Ocean Oner) 732-785-1831 MKX TOWMMHP 990 Ceoar Bridge Ave (LocatBd in Town Hal Stnos) 732-477-501 9 MOWIU40l2Route9SouSl (Next to Sears Hardware) 732-866-3664 MAIUUMN 520 Route 9 N. (In Home Fashion Center) 732-972-6801 UTWU 439 Route t34 (The Marketplace Opp Catco Comers) 732-563-4083 MISDUTOWM 1344 Route 35 (Across trorn Sfioprite) 732-275-1101 U(T UumWKK 270 Route 18 North (Neit to Leslie Pools) 732-613-1619 UWITTOWNHM LaceyMal Rt 9 Opposite ShopRite 609J393-9246 SOLAR COVER nso Ju) Was 2387 UPGRADE to 7-ft DEPTH E-X-P-A-WO-A-B-L-E Liner 3-YEAR LINER WARRANTY mi viui hi norm derxery naza (uppoate Midas Mumer) ra-xa-ism (coven up to 1200 water, labor and chemicah) (txct ad swciais) Fa more information CALL 1 (800) SLEEPYS (753-3797) or on Ihe web at www.sleepys.com Shcwoom 10cm to 8pm, SW to 7pm e2EB iK3encrceMcncricteA4 oeoMswr iNC America's kargest privately owned operated bedding chain for 75 Years embracing 3 generations. Louis Acker 1925, Harry Acker 1950, David Acker 1975, AJ Acker 1980 Stuart Acker 1995 AAember National Spa Pool Institute OUR 39th YEAR! wwwdoveroooLcom Bring any competitors ad. Guaranteed to beat it 40 mm I 1 1 I .1 ANNIVERSARY Mother's Day Week Sale Does Your Mother Have a Phone SO GET HER ONE! 500 Anytime Minutes UNLIMITED Nights Weekend Minutes 1000 Mobile to Mobile Minutes FREE Long Distance, Caller ID Voicemail 7 Jk 11 1 SH4 WW Per Month Per Phone For One Year INLEXTEL i 251 ZHk 500 Included Minute UNLIMITED Nights Woekendt UNLIMITED Neitei Direct Connect Calif High I now start 1 BOO Anytime Minutes UNLIMITED Nights A Weekend FREE 400 UmimltMl Mlnutet FREE Incoming Calif UNLIMITED Nlgnti Wseksndt UNLIMITED Netful Direct Connect Calif Caller ID a Voicemail $39.99 $59.99 FREE Mobile to Mobile FREE Long Distance A Roaming $34.99 iff Come In And Help Us Celebrate Our ANNIVERSARY SALE For The Entire Month Of May! Every Item On Sale Every Day! All In Store Furniture, Accessories And Greenery Will Be Quality Affordability Choice Bradirtgton Young Century Clayton Marcus Durham EJ. Victor Habersham Harden John Richard La Barge Laneventure Maitland Smith Nichols Stone a- per month, per phone If 7 550 Anytime Minutes FREE Long Distance, Caller ID Voicemail 750 Anytime Minutes UNLIMITED Nights Weekends FREE Long Distance, Caller ID Voicemail $19.99 Car Charger, Hands Free Ear Piece wtth all new activation $5.99 (4 WOODS fj FINE FURNITURE per month, for one year 363 Avenel Street 219 Atlantic City BlvtU.

1813 Highway 35 974 Stuyvesant St. BEACHWOOD nh DAKHIIRST UNION 328 State Street PERTH AMB0Y 732-442-2555 (RT. 1) AVENEL 7 32-855-9551 732-281 -320aF732-660-00dlM8-206-9339 When Was The Last Time You Took a Walk In The Woods? 41 North Highway 34 Colts Neck 732.62S.0300 'A Mile North of Route 537 All Store Hours: Sun. 10-7 Mon-Thurs 10-8 Fri Sat. closed MuMk ok) by cetss Hmimmatiticlxmbi ktKWui PrCTSpilocfang(ojirta Mvaton terrniratiai laes nay be pM Plctaras lor auslrxion purposes anh Mnrrutil mnnd jonc SwsBri lor Drat OrofriwcOTOTersor Not jn otr rjWer totri5crjurjniiatitainti.