Driver in Collision with County Detective Gets $378 in Fines
Car crash led to death of Tina Rambo, Ocean County Detective and former Point Beach special police officer
Photos
A Marlton woman pleaded guilty to two of four Municipal Court charges stemming from a car accident that killed Tina Rambo, an Ocean County detective.
Rachel Portnoy, 24, pleaded guilty in Southampton Municipal Court in Burlington County on Wednesday to charges of overtaking and passing vehicles and driving an unregistered vehicle and has to pay $378 in fines and court costs, said Terry Bodine, Municipal Court administrator.
Portnoy collided with a car driven by Rambo, 35, a detective with the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, on Route 70 in Southampton on Aug. 1, 2011. Rambo died from injuries sustained in the accident, leaving behind her husband, Roy Rambo, and two young boys, who were 3 and 6 years old at the time.
Portnoy pleaded guilty in court "with civil reservations" to overtaking and passing vehicles, which means the guilty plea cannot be used against her in a civil proceeding, Bodine said. For that charge, she was fined $206 plus $33 in court costs.
She also pleaded guilty to driving an unregistered vehicle and was fined $106, plus $33 in court costs.
Portnoy pleaded not guilty to "failure to obey regulations in a marked lane" and "reckless driving" and both charges "were dismissed at the prosecutor's discretion," Bodine said.
The state police had originally investigated the incident, then referred it to the Burlington County Prosecutor's office, which concluded there was no evidence to file criminal charges, said Joel Bewley, public information officer for the Burlington County Prosecutor's office.
Rambo, who had lived and graduated from high school in Toms River, was living in Marlton with her family.
Donna Marie
6:09 pm on Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Appalling another slap on the wrist
billy jones
6:51 pm on Wednesday, May 23, 2012
This is horrible. My prayers to the family.
Rick Molinia
11:48 pm on Wednesday, May 23, 2012
R YOU SERIOUS.. $378.... Three Hundred and Seventy Eight Dollars.. Whats the Judge's Name ..? ... thats an average teenager's montly cell phone bill.. i am really pissed about this, the death may have been an accident..But the actions which caused HER death were done ON PURPOSE... EHH.. stupid decision, ne1 agree with me..
Melissa Harris
12:51 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
Disgraceful.
.
6:48 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
This is outrageous! What is wrong with this prosecutor and judge? Just the fact that this woman was driving an unregistered vehicle alone, should have been more in fines, let alone causing someone's death. Now 2 little boys have to grow up without their other. Why is it only the innocent suffer in these cases?
i don't get it??
8:06 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
This is absolutely awful!! What a disgrace!! It's a slap in the face of the family that has already suffered a tremendous loss. Way to go Burlington County!
A Resident
8:48 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
It really has nothing to do with the judge. The State of NJ has laws determining amounts that can be fined for certain charges. Municipalities have the right to charge anywhere up to that amount. The judge can only fine the amount that is allowable.
The fact that the prosecutors office found no grounds for criminal charges simply means that the judge followed the law...and not his/her feelings.
Yes, its frustrating....but those are the laws.
GE
9:44 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
Portnoy pleaded not guilty to "failure to obey regulations in a marked lane" and "reckless driving" and both charges "were dismissed at the prosecutor's discretion. What does this mean? She she cross a double line and they just dismissed that? Don't understand that part. As far as her verdict, it sucks, she should have gotten her license suspended to a year along with a much higher fine.
A Resident
1:45 pm on Thursday, May 24, 2012
It means they don't have enough proof to show that she did either thing.
That's most likely why she plead Not Guilty to those charges. Also would be why the Prosecutors dropped the charges.
GE
4:12 pm on Thursday, May 24, 2012
This is to the resident below who clarified my questions about the marked lane. Couldn't they prove she crossed a solid line (if it was solid) just by where the accident happened?
A Resident
8:40 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
GE, apparently not. I know a couple of Ocean County Prosecutors. Good group. In my opinion, they would not drop the charges unless they truly had no solid evidence.
Sad
9:06 am on Monday, April 29, 2013
@A Resident Please look up the accident scene before you comment it is all over the web. She did in fact cross a solid line. The lawyer new the judge that makes this a done deal. Once again the justice system failed the innocent.
Mattie
9:57 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
Wow- that kid had a GREAT set of lawyers! That's all I can think with such lenient charges and even more lenient fines. Either that, or she's related to "someone".
You can be fined $500 for parking in a handicapped parking spot "illegally" !! And she drives like a maniac, kills someone and gets a fine less than that. Wow.
Tom McCarthy
10:26 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
This story easily breaks one's heart. The two young lads need our prayers every day for years to come. I hope as life goes on, when they feel someone's hand on their shoulder, it will be our Lord God guiding them through life.
GE
10:31 am on Thursday, May 24, 2012
This may sounds mean because we are taught to forgive people, but in this case, no way. This girl should wake up every morning and remember what she has done and NEVER have a peaceful day in her life knowing she killed someone and left two little boys without their beautiful mom.
Eggs-n-Toast
5:36 pm on Thursday, May 24, 2012
Forgiveness is not necessarily for the person who DID wrong.... forgiveness is most often a benefit for the person/people WRONGED.
Forgiveness helps people who've been wronged move on (after an appropriate time, or course) and to let go of toxic emotions like bitterness, anger, hatred, and vindictiveness.
After a time, these emotions change a person, inside. They are not good or make for a healthy person.
I know that may sound all "new agey" and stuff, but isn't that also what Jesus meant in "Turn the other cheek" and "Love thine enemies"? Forgiveness.
Also, forgiveness doesn't mean "no consequences or no punishment". That's a matter of law, not emotions.
So, all that said, I also believe she got off way, way too lightly.
Angelo
9:18 am on Monday, April 29, 2013
Forgiveness is a personal belief/Religous thing. When people hurt others, hurt animals or just show a lack of concern for others, that all goes out the window. This is a complete mess allowing this person to get off with a $400 fine after this the family lost their wife & mother.
Michele
11:31 pm on Thursday, May 24, 2012
What kind of justice system do we have it's not right ... And another ? Who does this girl know that she got off easy this women she killed was someone's daughter mother wife ... I do know her parents and my heart breaks ... It's not right nor fair ..
kathleen r wall
5:13 am on Friday, May 25, 2012
Are you kidding me!! This story makes me sick, you take a life and get fines less than a drunk driver would!! This is insane!!! I agree with you Michele who did she know!!!
justiceisn'tserved
4:26 pm on Friday, May 25, 2012
It's the way the law is...it needs to be changed. They can not charge her with reckless because they don't have reason to believe she was trying to hurt another person with her vehicle. It's terrible because everyday a careless driver injures or kills people with their stupidity...but the law is not equipped to punish people more harshly for an "accident."
JOHNNY Done it
11:36 pm on Friday, May 25, 2012
take a look at some the laws the victim gets victimized the laws need to be changed her careless--reckless actions resulted in this untimely death of this wife, Mother ,daughter, and public servant. Stay home or take a cab ..THis makes me sick.. sort of like i was just holding up the gun I didnt pull the trigger..
Tom
1:14 pm on Friday, June 1, 2012
Tina was my neighbor and great friend at Rowan University. I just found out about an hour ago of her death through a mutual friend. We had been in touch via Facebook and when she was no longer on I thought it had something to do with her line of work. I had no idea that she had been killed. I wish there was evidence to prove exactly why Ms. Portnoy's car killed a very dear friend of mine. $378.00? Doesn't seem right at all. My prayers go out to Roy and her two boys. RIP, "T"
unfrigginbelivable
2:24 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
wow a decision she made to pass resulted in a death i dont care she should be in jail its sick that some one can kill someone with a car and serve no time a car a gun whats the difference you made a decision that resulted in somones death you should pay the price i believe in an eye for an eye harsh yeah but guess what she is still alive and now 2 young boys no longer have a mother to watch them grow up