Long Branch Man Sentenced Life Plus for Armed Home Invasion, Fatal Police Chase

Altonia D. Williams, a 47-year-old man from Long Branch, New Jersey, was sentenced to life in prison plus 30 years for an armed home invasion and a fatal crash during a police chase in August 2023. Williams entered a home on Narragansett Avenue at gunpoint and demanded money before fleeing in a white BMW. Police attempted to stop him, but he crashed into a patrol vehicle and fled on foot, leaving his passenger, Tracee Blount, critically injured in the burning car; she later died at the hospital. Williams was found hiding nearby with a loaded gun and was under the influence of marijuana at the time of the crash. He was convicted on 18 charges including first-degree armed robbery, felony murder, aggravated manslaughter while eluding, and vehicular homicide after a four-week trial. Authorities emphasized the severity of the sentence due to Williams' disregard for human life, and he is not eligible for parole until 2112.