Son of Ex-Giant Pleads Guilty to Assault by Auto

Hillsborough, NJ -- Clint T. Benson, son of ex-New York Giants football player Brad Benson pled guilty today to running down a man and leaving the scene on St. Patrick’s Day, Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey D. Soriano announced.

Benson, 24, of Amwell Road in Hillsborough Township pled guilty to charges of Assault by Auto, third degree, Possession of Hollow Point Bullets, fourth degree and Possession of Narcotic Paraphernalia, a disorderly persons offense.

Benson also pled guilty to a series of motor vehicle summonses charging him with possession of an open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle; reckless driving; failure to report a motor vehicle accident; leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident and driving while intoxicated.

The State will move to dismiss the remaining counts of the indictment after sentence is imposed, specifically Aggravated Assault, second degree; Possession of a Weapon for Unlawful Purpose, third degree and Endangering an Injured Victim, third degree as well as remaining motor vehicle charges.

Benson is facing a maximum of seven years on the criminal charges. Benson was originally set to go to trial in April, had he done that he was facing a maximum sentence of 26 years in prison if found guilty on all criminal charges, according to nj.com.

His sentencing is schedule for March 24.

Benson, the son of Brad Benson, a Super Bowl champion with the New York Giants and owner of Brad Benson Hyundai in Monmouth Junction, struck a Flemington man with his pickup truck after an argument on Sunday, March 17, 2013, police report.

Richard Lachner, 26, of Flemington had confronted Benson about his reckless driving while Benson was seated behind the wheel of his vehicle. After the confrontation, Benson accelerated his Nissan Frontier pickup truck and struck Lachner from behind as he was walking back toward a restaurant on Woodfern Road, Branchburg Township Police Department detectives reported.

Branchburg Police responded to Woodfern Road where they located Lachner lying in the roadway.

Lachner was transported to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Trauma Center where he was treated for internal injuries, a fractured skull, a broken hand and lacerations about his body.

After hitting Lachner, Benson fled the scene and crashed a short distance away into a guardrail near the intersection of Lehigh and Woodfern Roads, police report.

Benson’s blood alcohol content was found to be .20 percent, police report.

Police searched the truck and seized 50 .22 caliber hollow point bullets in the center console.

A passenger in Benson’s truck, John Palazzo, was also indicted for allegedly lying to authorities about the incident.

Palazzo, 24, of Gemini Drive, was indicted on charges of obstructing the administration of law, and hindering apprehension or prosecution for his alleged false information given to investigators following the incident in Branchburg.

Benson was free on $100,000 bail.