Son Of Ex-Giants Player Gets Probation For DUI Hit And Run

Hillsborough, NJ -- Clint Benson, son of ex-New York Giants football player Brad Benson, was sentenced on Tuesday to 36 months probation on charges of assault by auto and drunk driving for allegedly running down a man and leaving the scene on St. Patrick’s Day, according to mycentraljersey.com.

Benson, 24, of Amwell Road in Hillsborough was also sentenced by Superior Court Judge Robert Reed to 364 days in Somerset County Jail only if he did not follow the condition of his bail, including receiving psychiatric treatment. He also had his driver's license revoked for a year, according to the report.

He pled guilty on Feb. 1 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.

Other charges were dismissed by the State including: 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.

• The accident:

Benson, the son of the 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.