Asbury Park, NJ man charged in fatal hit-and-run in Neptune Township, NJ

An Asbury Park man who fled the scene of a multi-vehicle car accident that killed a man in Neptune Township has been aptly charged as the investigation continues by local police and the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, and Monmouth County SCART, according to Acting Prosecutor Lori Linskey.

Neptune Police were first on the scene to the site of the accident on West Bangs Avenue near Alpine Trail Monday morning around 8:58 am.

Through their preliminary investigation, police learned that Wesley Moore Jr., 84, of Asbury Park was heading west on West Bangs Avenue in a 2020 Nissan Altima when he was sideswiped by Ariel Vernet, 48, of Asbury Park who had been driving a 2018 Kia Niro.

Moore ended up veering off-road as a result of the collision and through a chain-link fence, which led to injuries that later claimed his life on Monday morning.

Vernet, meanwhile, went on to sideswipe a 2001 Mercury driven by a 42-year-old woman from Neptune, who was then rear-ended by a 2017 GMC Canyon, driven by a 34-year-old man from Neptune.

Get our free mobile app

After causing two more crashes, Vernet took off but was found later on that day over in Asbury Park.

He was charged with one count of Leaving the Scene of a Motor Vehicle Collision and was released on a summons.

Moore Jr. had two occupants in the vehicle -- a woman in the front seat, and a young child in the rear of the vehicle and both were uninjured in the crash.

If you saw or heard what happened on Monday morning along West Bangs Avenue, you're asked to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Kristian DeVito at 800-533-7443 or Neptune Township Police Sergeant James MacConchie at 732-988-8000.