Brick Patrolman Struck By Drunk Driver, Police Say

A Seaside Heights man has been charged with drunk driving and assault by auto, after the car he was driving hit the patrol car of a Brick Township police officer who was assisting at a motor vehicle stop on Wednesday night, police said.

Shannon Cox, 50, of Seaside Heights is being held in the Ocean County Jail, Toms River, in lieu of $10,000 bail after the incident that happened about 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, Brick Sgt. Neal Pedersen said.

Patrolman Jeff Person, who was injured in the incident, was taken to Ocean Medical Center, where he was treated and released, Pedersen said.

Person and Sgt. William Ruocco were stopped on the southbound shoulder of Brick Boulevard Wednesday night, providing assistance as Patrolman Paul Catalina conducted a motor vehicle stop on a motorcyclist near Pine Tree Drive, Pedersen said.

While they were stopped, Person’s car was struck from behind by a vehicle, and the vehicle then continued onto Lake Shore Way, traveling the wrong way on a one-way street, toward Lake Shore Drive. Ruocco and Catalina, who pursued the car, were able to stop it on Lake Shore Drive, Pedersen said.

Cox, identified as the driver, was determined by officers on the scene to be intoxicated and was arrested without incident, he said. Cox’s vehicle was impounded and he was charged with driving while intoxicated, assault by auto, failure to change lanes for an emergency vehicle, traveling the wrong direction on a one-way street and leaving the scene of an accident with personal injury, among other violations, Pedersen said.

(Shannon Cox photo courtesy Ocean County Corrections Department)