Belmar Man Charged With Assault By Auto Of Two Pine Beach Police Officers

by Patricia A. Miller

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office recently charged a Belmar man with two counts of assault by auto in connection with a July 18, 2014 incident involving two Pine Beach police officers, spokesperson Al Della Fave said.

The charges stem from a motor vehicle crash that injured Pine Beach Police Officers Robert King and Jesse Urban. The two officers were conducting a motor vehicle stop when they were struck by Jeffrey Carsten’s vehicle, Della Fave said.

Carstens, 44, 608 18th Avenue, had a blood alcohol level over the legal limit of 0.08 percent, authorities have said.

Detective Michael Proto served Carstens his arrest summons at 10:30 a.m. on Jan. 2 in the Prosecutor’s Office. Carstens was processed and released on a summons to appear in court at a later date, Della Fave said.

King and Urban had to be airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center after Carsten plowed into their patrol cars parked on the side of Route 9 near Washington Avenue, Mayor Lawrence Cuneo has said.

Urban had stopped a driver for motor vehicle violations and Officer Robert King pulled up behind him to assist, the mayor said.

A fourth car traveling northbound on Route 9 slammed into one of the patrol cars, which was then pushed into the other patrol car, which spun around and struck Urban, Cuneo said.

King suffered a concussion. Urban suffered broken ribs, a concussion and scrapes and bruises, Della Fave has said.

The impact totaled one of Pine Beach’s patrol cars and damaged another. The police department has a fleet of only four vehicles, so neighboring towns had to help out.