Former Basking Ridge Man Gets 50 Years for Kidnapping, Sex Assault

A Somerset County man, whose last known address was Basking Ridge, has been sentenced to 50 years in state prison for the 2009 kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault of a woman in Elizabeth, Acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park announced Friday.

Donald Andrews, 43, must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole, according to the terms imposed Friday by presiding state Superior Court Judge Stuart Peim. Andrews also will remain under parole supervision for life, according to the sentence announced by the prosecutor's office.

Assistant Union County Prosecutor Colleen Ruppert said on Halloween night in 2009, the female victim traveled to Elizabeth to meet friends, but became separated from them in an area that was unfamiliar to her.

Stranded, she started asking passersby about how to get to the Elizabeth train station, at which time Andrews approached and offered to give her a ride there, said Ruppert, who prosecuted the case. 

Andrews then drove the woman to a desolate part of the city, dragged her out of the vehicle and behind a building before sexually assaulting her. Later, he threatened to kill the woman if she contacted police, Ruppert said.

The victim managed to get to a hospital for an examination, and forensic evidence led to Andrews being arrested and charged. He was convicted on offenses including kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault, making terroristic threats and other charges following a nearly two-week trial in May.