Vineland Woman Gets 8 Years in Prison for Crash That Killed Two

A Vineland woman who was responsible for the deaths of two people in a 2023 crash on South Delsea Drive was sentenced to eight years in prison.

A judge sentenced Maxexus Coleman, 30, to eight years in prison for a crash that killed the driver, Gary R. Lawson, 76, of Millville, and his passenger, Diane S. Lindquist, 73, of Millville.

Police Say Woman Was Speeding at Time of the Crash

The crash happened on Feb. 10, 2023, at the intersection of South Delsea Drive and College Drive in Vineland, a little before 7 am.

Lawson was traveling north on South Delsea Drive and trying to make a left onto College Drive when he collided with Coleman’s vehicle as she traveled south on South Delsea.

Police say Coleman was driving between 84-85 mph seconds before the crash and, just before impact, was traveling 64 miles per hour.

The speed limit in that area of South Delsea Drive is 45 mph.

The crash investigation showed that if Coleman had been driving between 45-55 miles per hour, Lawson would have been able to safely make his left turn without a crash.

The Defendant Struck a Plea Agreement

Maxexus Coleman was indicted in 2024 on two counts of second-degree vehicular homicide.

In July, she entered a guilty plea to two second-degree counts of violation of a law intended to protect public health and safety, causing death.

The terms of the plea agreement called for her to be sentenced to an 8-year term for each charge to run concurrently to one another.

During the Oct 10th sentencing hearing, Superior Court Judge Niki Arbittier noted that Coleman had no prior adult criminal record and sentenced her in accordance with the plea deal.