A Millville man was sentenced to 22 years in prison in a shooting that killed a 19-year-old man nearly five years ago.
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin today announced a 22-year prison sentence for a Cumberland County man convicted of first-degree manslaughter for firing a handgun at a vehicle occupied by three young men, killing one of them.
Terrell Savage, now 37, was convicted of first-degree manslaughter for firing a handgun into an vehicle with three people inside May 18, 2018.
Police arrived to find Maurice "Reese" Lewis with a gunshot wound to the back of his head. He died two days later.
Savage was arrested May 22, 2018. He is currently in South Woods State Prison serving a 15-year sentence on a gun case from 2017.
The new sentence will be consecutive to that term, and requires him to serve at least 85 percent, or more than 18½ years, before he is eligible for parole.
On May 18, 2018, Lewis was driving a Chevrolet Suburban with one man in the front passenger seat and a in the back seat. When he stopped at a stop sign at the intersection of Dock and Broad streets at just after 11 p.m., Savage was walking on Dock Street, on the driver's side of the SUV.
As Lewis started to drive away, Savage fired 10 rounds from a 9mm pistol equipped with a 14-round magazine. Eight rounds struck the SUV, including the one that killed Lewis. The passengers were not hit.
The SUV then crashed into a parked car.
The investigation determined that the attack was unprovoked.
“No one deserves to live in a community where you can be shot to death while driving down the street, as this innocent victim was,” Attorney General Matthew Platkin said. “The lengthy prison sentence we obtained in this case demonstrates our commitment to protecting our residents from the threat of gun violence and sends a clear message that this kind of lawless conduct will not be tolerated.”
Savage was charged in Lewis’ death as a result of an investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice, Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, Millville Police Department, and New Jersey State Police.
“This case is the result of the victim simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time and underscores the importance of keeping guns out of the hands of individuals who should not have them,” Division of Criminal Justice Director Peal Minato said. “We will continue to vigorously prosecute gun crimes to deter reckless violence that endangers the public and destroys families.”
