A Toms River man and former Hillside police officer has been sentenced to 17 years in state prison for a 2021 crash in Monmouth County that killed a husband and wife.

John P. McClave III, of Toms River, was sentenced before Ocean County Superior Court Judge David M. Fritch after being convicted by a jury of two counts of second-degree vehicular homicide.

Judge Fritch imposed consecutive prison terms of 8½ years for each victim, totaling 17 years behind bars. Under New Jersey’s No Early Release Act (NERA), McClave must serve 85 percent of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

The crash occurred shortly before 7:30 p.m. on October 9, 2021, on Asbury Avenue near the Garden State Parkway overpass in Tinton Falls.

According to investigators, McClave was driving a 2018 GMC Canyon pickup truck when it struck a 2020 Toyota Corolla driven by 40-year-old Angel L. Acevedo Jr., of Baltimore, Maryland. Acevedo and his wife, 35-year-old Daniela Correia Salles, were both pronounced dead at the scene after suffering severe injuries.

Investigators determined that McClave had been driving recklessly while under the influence of alcohol and THC. Authorities said his vehicle left the Parkway lanes without significantly slowing down, became airborne after hitting an embankment, and slammed into the victims’ vehicle.

McClave himself sustained serious but non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

The investigation was conducted by the Monmouth County Serious Crash Analysis Response Team (SCART), the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Unit, and the Tinton Falls Police Department.

“The impact that this incident had on our community is a reminder of the danger imposed when driving under the influence of intoxicating substances such as marijuana and alcohol. Such behavior cannot be accepted or tolerated,” Prosecutor Santiago said.

Authorities also revealed that McClave had been on his way to work at the time of the crash.