'Not Guilty' Plea in Alleged Hit-and-Run Death of Marissa Procopio, 15

Middletown, NJ — Toni Marletta entered a plea of "not guilty" Monday morning on charges that she left the scene of a fatal hit-and-run accident that took the life of a 15-year-old girl, Marissa Procopio, last summer on Rt. 36 in Leonardo.

In Monmouth County criminal court Monday morning, Marletta's attorney also requested a psych evaluation for his client, confirmed Meghan Doyle, the assistant county prosecutor on the case. The state offered Marletta a plea deal that comes with 7 years in state prison. Marletta has until Sept. 6, the next court date, to accept that deal.

Marletta, 50, a Leonardo resident, declined to talk to Patch before her arraignment this morning. Wearing thick black sunglasses, she appeared in court with her boyfriend and was escorted to her car by Monmouth County Sheriff's officers. As soon as she arrived at her boyfriend's red pickup truck, she got inside, took the glasses off and appeared to burst into tears, taking off her sunglasses and covering her face with her hands. The couple drove away.

Marletta is accused of hitting Marissa as the girl was trying to cross Rt. 36 near Avenue D at dusk, police said. Marletta never stopped, police said. Middletown officers later said they found her car parked outside of her Thompson Avenue home in Leonardo, showing damage consistent with the collision. The girl, an honor roll student at Henry Hudson High School in Highlands, died of massive head trauma and was taken off life support at Jersey Shore Medical Center 24 hours after she was hit.

A Monmouth County grand jury indicted Marletta last month on four charges related to the July 7, 2015 fatal accident: One count of second-degree knowingly leaving the scene of an accident resulting in a fatality, one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child and two counts of third-degree endangering the welfare of a child. If she is found guilty, the standard sentence is five to 10 years. It's a sentence Marissa's mother, and her supporters, say is far too lenient.

"As far as I'm concerned (Toni) already got away with murder," Danielle Procopio told Patch outside court Monday. "I'm so filled with rage right now I can't even cry," she said, staring at Marletta and her boyfriend just feet away.

A large crowd assembled in the courtroom Monday, all wearing purple, Marissa's favorite color.

"Just hearing what that poor girl went through and being left on the road like that ..." said Belford resident Kathy Aloisi, 60, who showed up in court Monday wearing a purple shirt.

Aloisi did not know Marissa or her mother but said she was there today because she was "upset about this tragedy that happened in our community. I'm very disappointed with the charges. It basically sends the message that if you hit someone, you're better off leaving the crime scene."

Aloisi said she knows someone who witnessed the crash firsthand.

Many there Monday could not speak about Marissa without choking up.

"She was such a vibrant, sweet part of our church, Jesus Fellowship-Calvary Chapel," said Middletown resident Karen Koczman, also in purple. "She did our vacation summer Bible school. We know she's with Jesus now."

Photos by Carly Baldwin/Patch