Victor Belo, right, talks with his lawyer, Anthony Iacullo, after a court hearing on Aug. 31, 2015. (Tom Haydon | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
ELIZABETH -- A former longshoreman was drunk when he struck and killed a coworker with a top loader at an Elizabeth marine terminal, he admitted in court.
Victor M. Belo, of North Arlington, pleaded guilty Wednesday to one count of vehicular manslaughter in the death of 49-year-old Judy Jones on Aug. 7, 2015, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace Park said Thursday.
Prosecutors said they will recommend Belo, 50, serve four years in prison with 85 percent of that time to be served before he is eligible for parole. He is scheduled to be sentenced in January.
Belo had several alcoholic drinks with lunch on the day of the accident, and his blood-alcohol level was over the legal limit of 0.08 when he struck Jones at APM Port Elizabeth, prosecutors said. Jones, of Newark, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Jones bled to death after her leg was severed, NJ Advance Media previously reported. Her brother, Wayne Jones, said his sister had been a dockworker for 18 years.
The Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, which regulates employment on docks in New Jersey and New York, suspended Belo's work permit a week after he was charged in Jones' death.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Feb. 3, 2016, imposed $21,000 in penalties on APM Port Elizabeth for three "serious" violations, according to a copy of the citations. APM was cited for failure to post signs indicating pedestrian traffic, failure to set aside areas for employees to pass between cargo transfer points, and employees' not wearing high-visibility vests.
A spokesman for APM could not immediately be reached Thursday evening.
Marisa Iati may be reached at miati@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Marisa_Iati or on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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