AC Man Pleads Not Guilty in Crash That Killed Mays Landing Couple

An Atlantic City man accused of crossing the center line and hitting and killing a Mays Landing couple in February, then testing above the legal blood alcohol limit, pleaded not guilty on Oct. 3.

He’s due back in court Oct. 31 for an initial disposition conference, according to reporting from the Press of Atlantic City.

Levon Woods, 25, is facing two counts of vehicular homicide and other charges for a crash that happened at 4:13 am on Feb. 22nd on Route 552 in  Maurice River Township, Cumberland County.

Woods turned down a plea deal that called for a seven-year prison sentence earlier this month, according to court records.

The Night of the Crash

According to the NJ State Police, Thomas Splinter, 57, and his passenger, Nancy Orellana-Splinter, 29, newlyweds married just five months earlier, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Splinter was driving a Honda westbound when Woods drove his Kia across the center line and hit the Honda head-on.

Woods was injured and transported to the hospital.

After an investigation, he was cited for driving under the influence, reckless driving, and making an unsafe lane change.

Accused Driver Admitted to Drinking That Night

The Press of Atlantic City reported that Woods admitted he had been drinking at a club in Philadelphia before the crash.

He had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.095% four hours after the crash. The legal limit is .08%.

Tests showed that Woods was speeding just before the crash, going 66 mph in a 50 mph zone. He has also had several careless driving and speeding infractions and has had his licence suspended multiple times.

Still, the judge sided with Woods' attorney in April and released him until his trial, saying he showed little risk of not appearing in court, is engaged and expecting a child, and has a security guard job at Caesars Atlantic City.

The Mays Landing Couple Were Married in September

In a GoFundMe for the couple's children, titled "Remembering Nancy and Tom's Love," Tasruba Rahman tells how her best friend Nancy and her husband were always there for their friends, family, and each other.

They were the type of couple who hosted Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas parties in their home and spread the love they had with everyone. The two of them had just tied the knot in September 2024 in Mays Landing, and the newlyweds planned on spending the rest of their lives together.

The GoFundMe calls Nancy Splinter a light in the community who had just gotten a promotion at her job.

Tom had also recently received a promotion, and the couple was excited about a future together and being able to support their children.

Nancy Orellana-Splinter was the mother of a young son, and Tom was the father of three.

Here is a link to the GoFundMe for the couple's children.