Andre Higgs, 43, of Watchung, has been charged with driving drunk and crashing into a minivan on the New Jersey Turnpike while he was released on $1 million bail in the killing of the mother of his four-year-old daughter
NEWARK -- While released on $1 million bail on charges of killing the mother of his four-year-old daughter in Essex County, a man is accused of driving drunk and crashing into a minivan early Christmas morning on the New Jersey Turnpike in Middlesex County.
Andre Higgs, 43, of Watchung, is charged with assault by auto and driving while intoxicated for allegedly crashing into the rear of the minivan and injuring the other motorist shortly after midnight in the southbound portion of the Turnpike in Cranbury, according to the New Jersey State Police.
The collision occurred while Higgs is facing murder and related charges in connection with the May 1 killing of Latrena May, 27, outside her East Orange home while their daughter was inside the residence. Higgs was released from custody on Aug. 14 after posting $1 million bail.
During a hearing on Monday in the murder case, Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Justin Edwab said he filed a motion to either increase Higgs's bail or revoke it, because of the alleged drunk driving incident in Middlesex.
"This defendant poses a serious danger to the State of New Jersey," Edwab told Superior Court Judge Ronald Wigler during Monday's hearing, adding that Higgs was "drunk driving and almost killed someone on the Turnpike."
But Higgs's attorney, Thomas Ashley, asked to postpone arguments on the bail motion until Thursday, because he only received court documents about the Middlesex case on Monday morning and he needed time to review them with Higgs.
Saying it was "a matter of fairness," the judge granted Ashley's request to return to court on Thursday. Wigler also instructed Higgs that he could drive home on Monday, but then he was prohibited from driving until Thursday's hearing.
The crash occurred at about 12:10 a.m. on Dec. 25 when Higgs crashed a Dodge Ram pickup truck into the rear of a Dodge Caravan that was parked on the right shoulder of the Turnpike, police said.
The driver of the Caravan, who had stepped out of the vehicle, was injured after being thrown into the right lane of the highway as a result of the crash, according to Trooper Alina Spies of the New Jersey State Police.
After hitting the Caravan, Higgs crossed the road and crashed into the left concrete barrier before coming to a final rest, Spies said.
Higgs was later arrested and ultimately released after posting $75,000 bail.
In the killing of Latrena May, Higgs was indicted on Nov. 6 on murder, weapons charges, possession of heroin, endangering the welfare of a child, hindering his own prosecution and aggravated assault for allegedly pointing a gun at a police officer.
Latrena May Authorities have said Higgs and May were arguing on the porch of her Tremont Avenue home while their daughter was inside the residence. As May flagged down a police officer patrolling the area, Higgs shot her three times and the officer then shot Higgs, authorities said.
After the shooting, Higgs went into the house and threw the gun on the floor of a hallway before he was ultimately apprehended, Edwab previously said. The girl, who lived with May, was in their first-floor apartment at the time of the shooting, and then ran to the second-floor apartment afterward, Edwab said.
May was pronounced dead at the scene. A teacher at Pride Academy Charter School in East Orange, May has been remembered as a dedicated and passionate educator who showed "unconditional kindness" to others.
Higgs was treated at University Hospital in Newark and transferred on May 11 to the Essex County Correctional Facility, where he remained until posting the $1 million bail.
Before Higgs was released from the county jail, his then-attorney, Sebastian Bio, indicated in court that the bail would be posted in large part with a property bond covering about $706,000 in equity from Higgs's Watchung home. The house is worth nearly $1.2 million, Bio said at the time.
During Monday's hearing, Ashley, Higgs's current attorney, said he was investigating certain aspects of Higgs's activities on the day of the shooting. Ashley also indicated he intended to present witnesses at the trial to address Higgs's intoxication at the time of the incident.
In addition to the bail motion, Edwab said during the hearing he was pursuing a motion to present evidence at Higgs's trial that May called 911 about a month before the fatal shooting, because Higgs was choking her.
Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.