Man's Blood-Alcohol 3 Times Limit In Crash That Injured Toms River Mom, Son: Prosecutor

FREEHOLD, NJ — A Seaside Heights man has been charged with aggravated assault in what authorities say was an alcohol-fueled crash that injured a Toms River woman and her son in Monmouth County, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office announced Thursday.

Kevin Christian, 41, has been charged with second- and third-degree aggravated assault in the March 17 crash in Wall Township, Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago and Wall Township Police Chief Sean O’Halloran said in the announcement.

Christian was driving a van south on the Route 18 off-ramp onto Route 138 east when he lost control, careened across a grass median, and hit an SUV driven by a 44-year-old Toms River woman. Christian, the woman and her 9-year-old son, who suffered a serious head injury, were taken to a local hospital for treatment, authorities said.

The investigation found Christian’s blood-alcohol level was more than triple the legal limit at the time of the crash, the prosecutor's office said.

Authorities also found Christian was driving while his license was suspended, the prosecutor said. In addition to the criminal charges, Christian was issued summonses for operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs, reckless driving, driving with a suspended license, delaying traffic, and failure to maintain a lane.

Christian was arrested Wednesday, June 7, by Wall Township Police Department with the assistance of members of the Neptune Township Police Department and taken to the Monmouth County jail pending a first appearance and a detention hearing to take place in Monmouth County Superior Court.

The crash was investigated by the Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team (SCART), the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit, and the Wall Township Police Department.

This case is being prosecuted by Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Joseph Cummings of the Major Crimes Bureau.

Anyone who witnessed the collision or may have information pertaining to this matter is still being asked to contact MCPO Detective Brian Boryszewski at 800-671-4400 or Wall Township Police Department Capt. Chad Clark or Sgt. Andrew Baldino at 732-449-4500.