Driver Was Drunk In Car Crash That Injured Mother, Son In Wall: Police

FREEHOLD, NJ – An Ocean County man has been charged with being responsible for an alcohol-fueled, two-car crash in Wall that injured a woman and her son in March, police officials said Thursday.

Kevin Christian, 41, of Seaside Heights is charged with second- and third-degree aggravated assault, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said.

Christian had triple the legal limit of alcohol in his system, authorities said, and he has also been charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.

County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago and Wall Township Police Chief Sean O’Halloran made a joint announcement about the charges on Thursday.

Christian was arrested by members of the Wall Township Police Department on Wednesday, June 7, with the assistance of members of the Neptune Township Police Department.

He was taken to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, pending a first appearance and detention hearing to take place in Monmouth County Superior Court, authorities said.

The accident happened on March 17 of this year.

An investigation showed that Christian had been driving southbound on the Route 18 off-ramp onto Highway 138 eastbound when he lost control of his van, careened across a grass median, and collided with an SUV driven by a Toms River woman, 44, who had her nine-year-old son as a passenger, the prosecutor's office said.

Both drivers and the woman’s son, who suffered a serious head injury, were taken to a local hospital for medical treatment, authorities said.

The investigation determined that Christian’s blood-alcohol level was more than triple the legal limit at the time of the crash. He was also driving with a suspended license, authorities said.

The investigation was conducted by the Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team (SCART), the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit, and the Wall Township Police Department.

The accident happened at approximately 8 p.m. on Friday, March 17. Members of the Wall Township Police Department responded to the two-vehicle collision on State Highway 138 East, in the area of the on- and off-ramps for State Route 18.

It was also determined that Christian was operating the vehicle with a suspended license, the prosecutor's office said.

In addition to the criminal charges against him, Christian was issued summonses for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs; reckless driving; driving with a suspended license; delaying traffic; and failure to maintain a lane, authorities said.

The case is being prosecuted by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Cummings of the Major Crimes Bureau.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or may have information pertaining to this matter is asked to contact Prosecutor's Office Detective Brian Boryszewski at 800-671-4400 or Wall Township Police Department Capt. Chad Clark or Sgt. Andrew Baldino at 732-449-4500.