Seaside Heights man high on drugs charged with Hit-and-Run in Toms River

A Seaside Heights man under the influence of drugs is charged with causing an accident at the intersection of Route 37 and 166 in Toms River and then taking off on foot.

Multiple police units were dispatched on Wednesday afternoon around 5:25 pm for a multi-car accident.

Police say that Kenneth J. Spinelli, 58, of Seaside Heights, had been traveling westbound on Route 37 East at an extremely high rate of speed.

He then entered the extreme right lane on Route 37 East while approaching Route 166, then left the roadway and drove on the sidewalk before entering the intersection through a red traffic signal.

Spinelli’s vehicle then slammed into a car heading northbound on Route 166.

The collision caused the impacted vehicle to enter the southbound lanes of Route 166 and hit two additional vehicles that had been stopped at a red traffic signal.

After causing the collision, Spinelli fled on foot westbound on Route 37.

Off duty Franklin Township Police Officer Brian Quigley witnessed the accident and was able to subdue the driver, as well as Toms River Police Chief Mitch Little and Officer Ryan Gashlin.

Police say that Spinelli appeared to be under the influence of CDS but was not injured during the incident.

He was taken Community Medical Center for evaluation.

Spinelli was charged with DWI, Reckless Driving, Failing to Observe a Traffic Control Device, Leaving the Scene of a Collision with Iinjury and Failure to Report a Collision as well as assault by Auto and Driving Under the Influence of CDS.

The accident is being investigated by Traffic Safety Officer Robert Westfall and Traffic Safety Officer David Bartoshek.

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