{"data":{"id":"us-nj/n.j.-stat.-2c-11-5.3","jurisdiction":"us-nj","citation":"N.J. Stat. § 2C:11-5.3","heading":"Strict liability vehicular homicide.","body":"1. a. Criminal homicide constitutes strict liability vehicular homicide when it is caused by driving a vehicle while intoxicated in violation of R.S.39:4-50 or operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol or drugs in violation of section 3 of P.L.1952, c.157 (C.12:7-46).\nb.\tStrict liability vehicular homicide is a crime of the third degree, but the presumption of nonimprisonment set forth in subsection e. of N.J.S.2C:44-1 shall not apply.\nc.\tThe provisions of N.J.S.2C:2-3 governing the causal relationship between conduct and result shall not apply in a prosecution under this section.  For purposes of this offense, the defendant's act of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated in violation of R.S.39:4-50 or operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol or drugs in violation of section 3 of P.L.1952, c.157 (C.12:7-46) is the cause of death when:\n(1)\tThe operation of the motor vehicle or vessel is an antecedent but for which the death would not have occurred; and\n(2)\tThe death was not:\n(a)\ttoo remote in its occurrence as to have a just bearing on the defendant's liability; or\n(b)\ttoo dependent upon the conduct of another person which was unrelated to the defendant's operation of a motor vehicle or vessel as to have a just bearing on the defendant's liability.\nd.\tIt shall not be a defense to a prosecution under this section that the decedent contributed to his own death by reckless or negligent conduct or operation of a motor vehicle or vessel.\ne.\tNothing in this section shall be deemed to preclude, if the evidence so warrants, an indictment and conviction for any other offense.\nL.2017, c.165, s.1.","path":["TITLE 2C THE NEW JERSEY CODE OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE"],"source_url":"https://pub.njleg.state.nj.us/statutes/STATUTES-TEXT.zip","current_through":"P.L.2025, c.405, and J.R.22","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T17:54:13Z","sha256":"0eed56885dc40a960946263ef6f1439513201edb20b20322d09ad00134bb6201","source_id":"us-nj","stale":true,"prev":"us-nj/n.j.-stat.-2c-11-5.2","next":"us-nj/n.j.-stat.-2c-11-6"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}