Atlantic Highlands Man Killed By Drunk Driver On 36, Police Say

ATLANTIC HIGHLANDS, NJ — A well-known Atlantic Highlands man was killed by a Brooklyn dentist allegedly driving drunk on Highway 36 this past Saturday, Monmouth County Prosecutor Chris Gramiccioni announced Thursday morning.

The alleged drunk driver, a 62-year-old Brooklyn man, was driving west in the eastbound lanes of Highway 36, police said.

Michael Gustafson, 66, of Avenue D in Atlantic Highlands, died in the Emergency Department of Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank. He owned Mike's Bikes in Atlantic Highlands.

The crash occurred around 12:46 a.m. on Saturday, June 16. He was hit while he was in his car driving on Rt. 36 East, west of Linden Avenue in Middletown Township, the prosecutor said.

Gustafson was the sole occupant of his 2007 Honda Fit travelling in the eastbound lanes of Rt. 36 when his car neared the Linden Avenue intersection and collided with a 2015 Jeep Cherokee driven by Anthony F. Sarlo, 62, of 74th Street in Brooklyn. Sarlo was the sole occupant of that vehicle as it traveled westbound in the eastbound lanes of the roadway, police said.

Following the crash, Gustafson was transported to Riverview Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased at 1:44 a.m.

Sarlo was also transported to Riverview Medical Center for evaluation and was released. Sarlo was issued motor vehicle summonses for Driving While Intoxicated, Open Alcoholic Beverage in a Motor Vehicle, Reckless Driving, Misuse of a Divided Highway (Wrong Way).

According to MoreMonmouthMusings, Sarlo is a dentist in Brooklyn.

Anyone with information about this collision is asked to call Sergeant Cliff O'Hara, of the Middletown Township Police Department at 732-615-2100 or Agent Reginald Grant of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 800-533-7443.

Anyone who feels the need to remain anonymous but has information about a crime can contact Monmouth County Crime Stoppers confidential telephone tip-line by calling 1-800-671-4400; can text “MONMOUTH” plus their tip to 274637; or, they can email a tip via the website at www.monmouthcountycrimestoppers.com. Monmouth County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of criminals and fugitives.