Matawan Man Charged With DUI, Manslaughter After Hitting Man on Bike, Police Say

MATAWAN, NJ - A Matawan man was charged Monday with drunk driving after police said he hit and killed a man on a bike in South Amboy last week.

The incident happened last Tuesday, Jan. 17 in South Amboy. William Nash, 57, of South Amboy was struck while riding his bike on Main Street in South Amboy. Francis Smith, 56, of Matawan hit him, and initially fled the scene, police said.

Nash was riding on Main Street near Rt. 9 when Smith, who was driving a 2012 Hundai Sonata, struck him from behind, police said. Smith fled the scene but was apprehended a half-mile away when his car hit a curb and became inoperable, police said. He initially was charged with driving while intoxicated, aggravated assault and fleeing.

But the charges against Smith were upgraded a day later when Nash died Jan. 18 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick from head injuries. Smith was charged with aggravated manslaughter, death by auto and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash involving fatal injuries.

The charges were filed during an investigation by Officer Steven Clark of the South Amboy Police Department and Detective Donald Heck of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Smith has been in custody since he initially was charged.

The investigation is active and is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Officer Clark of the South Amboy Police Department at (732) 721-0111, or Detective Heck of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-8842.