Middletown Woman Charged In Fatal Hit-And-Run, Cops Say

A Middletown woman has been arrested in connection with a fatal hit-and-run crash that claimed the life of a 15-year-old girl, police said.

Toni Ann Marletta, 49, of Thompson Avenue in the Leonardo section of town, was arrested Wednesday morning in Hazlet in connection with the July 7 crash at the intersection of Route 36 and Avenue D in Leonardo, according to news releases from Deputy Chief Stephen Dollinger and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

Marissa Procopio died at the hospital the next day, authorities said.

According to the news releases:

Around 8:25 p.m., Marletta was driving a light gray compact car westbound on the highway when she hit the Atlantic Highlands girl as the teen tried to cross Route 36,

Later that evening, police found Marletta’s vehicle parked outside of her home and it displayed damage consistent with the collision.

Marletta ultimately arrived at the Middletown Township Police Department but was released, pending further investigation.

Procopio was pronounced dead on July 8 at 3:46 p.m. at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.

On Wednesday, Marletta was charged with leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident, failing to report a motor vehicle accident, no insurance, unsafe tires and leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle accident.

She is being held at the Monmouth County jail, Freehold Township, in lieu of $150,000 bail.

Cpl. Thomas Russo, Lt. Neal Hansen, Sgt. Cliff O’Hara and Cpl. Nicholas Caprio of the Middletown Police Traffic and Safety Bureau handled the investigation, along with the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

If convicted of leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle accident, Marletta faces 5- to 10-years in prison.

Assistant Prosecutor Meghan Doyle of the Office’s Major Crimes Bureau is handling the state’s case.