Teen Injured In 4-Car Crash In Brick; Driver Had Suspended License, Drugs In Car, Police Say

A Brick Township man has been charged with assault by auto and drug possession after a four-car crash at Jack Martin Boulevard and Route 88 Sunday sent a Brick Township teen to the hospital with serious injuries, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.

Kimberly Ferlisi, 15, was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, with head and neck injuries suffered in the crash, said Al Della Fave, spokesman for the prosecutor’s office.

Ferlisi was a rear-seat passenger in a 2013 Chevy Cruz that was struck from behind by a 1997 Acura driven by Frank A. Ferrara, 31, of Brick, who was driving despite having a suspended license, Della Fave said.

Authorities said Ferrara was headed east on Route 88 and failed to stop for traffic, hitting the Cruz, which was stopped in the eastbound lane of Route 88 near Jack Martin Boulevard. The force of the impact sen the Cruz, driven by Briana Ferlisi of Toms River, into the back of a 2014 Jeep Cherokee driven by David Bertone of Brick, who also was stopped for traffic. The Jeep then was pushed into the back of a 2000 Honda Civic driven by Sandra Herrera-Perez of Brick, who was also stopped at the intersection.

Briana Ferlisi had two other passengers in her car, Della Fave said, and they suffered minor injuries that required treatment at Ocean Medical Center, Brick. Briana Ferlisi was uninjured. Neither Bertone nor his passenger, Thomas Barten of Brick, were injured, and authorities said Herrera-Perez and the three passengers in her car were not hurt.

The Cruz suffered significant damage, while the other two cars suffered minor damage and were able to be driven from the scene.

During the investigation, Della Fave said, Brick police officers at the scene observed Ferrara going in and out of his vehicle, apparently in an attempt to get rid of suspected CDS. Ferrara showed signs of impairment and several suspected narcotic wax folds were seen in plain view in and around the Acura, he said. Two syringes were found on the ground near Ferrara when police approached him.

He was taken to Ocean Medical Center in Brick, where a telephonic search warrant to obtain a blood sample for later testing was applied for and granted by Superior Court Judge James Liguori.

Ferrara was subsequently charged with tampering with physical evidence; possession of a controlled dangerous substance, causing serious bodily injury while driving on the suspended list, and assault by auto. He is being held in the Ocean County Jail, Toms River, in lieu of $50,000 bail, no 10 percent option.