Family of Pregnant Woman Killed in Washington Township Crash this Week Target Distracted Driving

12:13 AM, Jun. 4, 2011 | WASHINGTON TWP. — Annette Donato comes from a very strong family. Donato is the younger sister of Toni Bolis, the pregnant Washington Township woman who was killed Wednesday night in a two-vehicle crash. Bolis, 28, was due to deliver her second child next week. The baby boy also died. Annette, 24, and another sister, Angela, 22, believe the crash was caused by a driver looking at his cellphone. And even with their loss, they are speaking out to warn drivers about the dangers of driving while distracted. “We’re doing this because (Toni) would have wanted it,” Annette said Friday. “As hard as it is, we want to get the word out. Two beautiful lives were taken too quickly for a horrible reason.” According to police, Bolis was driving westbound on Pitman-Downer Road about 8:30 p.m. when a car driven in the opposite direction by Daniel Pereira of Glassboro, crossed into oncoming traffic and crashed head-on into Bolis’ car. Annette said Bolis was on her phone — hands free — with their mother at the time of the incident. “She said “Oh my God, mom. I’m in a bad accident,’ Annette said. “I need you to get here. I think I’m going to lose the baby.’ ” Angela and Annette live with their parents and the latter said that when they got to the crash site, 21-year-old Pereira was sitting on the ground. Angela asked him what happened. “He said, ‘I don’t know. I was looking down at the GPS on my phone and before I knew it we had crashed,’ ” Annette recalled. Police continue to investigate the crash and are trying to determine how and why Pereira’s car ended up in oncoming traffic. Annette said Toni had a pretty tough childhood, but was always upbeat. “She was hit by a car when she was 11,” Annette recalled. “She spent most of her middle school years in a wheelchair. And at 14, she had a full hip replacement. “But in the midst of it all, she had a smile brighter than the sun. She was the most selfless, amazing young woman. She cared about everybody and was an incredible mother.” Toni’s daughter, Mia, will be 3 in August. Eric Bolis, Toni’s husband, is completely devastated, Annette said. “He’s just beside himself. They were together for six years and they were crazy for each other.” Reach Joe Cooney at (856) 317-7830 or jcooney@camden.gannett.com