An Ocean County man has been sentenced to state prison in connection with a fatal off-road vehicle crash that claimed the life of a Howell resident and endangered several children, after prosecutors said he operated the vehicle while intoxicated and drove it into a lake at a Whiting mining site.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on January 9, 2026, Stephen McGuire, 48, of Howell, was sentenced by Superior Court Judge David M. Fritch to three years in New Jersey State Prison following his guilty plea to strict liability vehicular homicide. McGuire was also sentenced to an additional three-year prison term for endangering the welfare of a child stemming from the same incident. The sentences will run concurrently. McGuire, as previously reported by The Lakewood Scoop, pleaded guilty to the charges on November 3, 2025.
The charges stem from a December 12, 2020 incident at Heritage Minerals Mine, also known as ASARCO, located on Route 70 in Whiting. At approximately 8:30 p.m., Manchester Township police responded to a report of a submerged utility terrain vehicle (UTV) in the lake at the center of the property.
Investigators determined that McGuire had been operating the UTV with five passengers onboard, including James Grover, 62, of Howell, and three minors, when the vehicle entered the lake and became submerged. The UTV and Grover did not resurface.
Emergency responders from multiple agencies conducted an underwater search and located the UTV overturned in approximately 25 feet of water. Grover was found still attached to the vehicle by his safety harness. Despite life-saving efforts by emergency personnel, Grover was pronounced dead at the scene.
As part of the investigation, McGuire was transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River, where a warrant-authorized blood draw revealed a blood alcohol concentration of .127, above New Jersey’s legal limit of .08.
McGuire was arrested on January 5, 2021, at his Howell residence and later released under New Jersey bail reform.
Prosecutor Billhimer stated that the resolution of the case followed extensive discussions with Grover’s family, who expressed a desire to extend mercy to the defendant. He noted that their compassion helped bring the case to a close and begin the healing process.
The prosecutor credited Senior Assistant Prosecutor Stephen Burke and numerous law enforcement, emergency response, and investigative agencies for their collaborative efforts in the case.