Arrest In Fatal Hit-And-Run On Drum Point Road: Brick PD

BRICK, NJ — A Brick Township man has been identified as the victim of a fatal hit-and-run Sunday night on Drum Point Road, and a Barnegat Township man has been arrested in connection with his death, Brick police said Monday afternoon.

Robert R. Berenger, 28, was pronounced dead at the scene Sunday night, Brick Sgt. Keith Donnelly said. Berenger was found unresponsive on the front lawn of a Drum Point Road home about200 feet west of Circle Drive.

Craig W. Menth Jr., 37, of Barnegat, is being held at the Ocean County Jail in connection with the incident, Donnelly said. He has been charged with knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in a death, a second-degree offense, as well as careless driving, leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash and failure to report an accident, Donnelly said.

Donnelly said the initial information released earlier appears to be accurate. Witnesses described a mid-1990s Dodge work van as the suspect vehicle, and Brick patrol units found a green Dodge Ram van with significant damage that was consistent with the Drum Point Road crash. Sgt. Joseph Rossi found the van in a residential neighborhood off Drum Point Road, Donnelly said.

Brick police then tracked down the vehicle's owner and after examining the vehicle and interviewing the owner, they determined it was the vehicle involved in the fatal hit-and-run, Donnelly said. Menth was then arrested.

Family members of Berenger who live out of state were notified of Berenger's death and Menth's arrest.

Police were called at 10:45 p.m. after Berenger was found unresponsive and lying on the front lawn of a home on Drum Point Road; it appears he was walking east on the shoulder of Drum Point Road when he was hit from behind, Donnelly said.

Drum Point Road was closed from Cherry Quay Road to Circle Drive for three hours while police investigated the incident.

The Brick Township Police Department’s Traffic Safety Unit, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Vehicular Homicide Unit, the county Medical Examiner’s Office and the county Sheriff Department’s Criminal Investigation Unit responded.

Donnelly, Patrolman Jay Lampiasi and Patrolman Joe Farnkopf are investigating. Anyone who may have witnessed the crash or who has information pertaining to the crash is asked to contact Lampiasi at 732-262-1141 or by email at trafficsafety@brickpd.com.

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