Unlicensed Toms River Driver Fled Route 37 Crash That Killed Motorcyclist: Prosecutor

NOTE: Authorities say the driver lied about his identity when he was arrested on Aug. 3. This article has been updated. Read the new report here: Teen Lied About ID In Fatal Route 37 Motorcycle Crash: Prosecutor

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Toms River man has been arrested after he fled from a crash that killed a motorcyclist on Route 37 in Manchester late Wednesday, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office announced.

The driver, who said he was 22-year-old Yasmin Sanchez-Centeno, has been charged with vehicular homicide, strict liability vehicular homicide, knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash resulting in death, and being an unlicensed driver involved in a motor vehicle crash resulting in death, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said Friday.

Jeffrey Schlinger, 23, of Toms River, who was riding a 2007 Yamaha motorcycle, was seriously injured in the crash and succumbed to his injuries at Community Medical Center in Toms River, authorities said.

The crash happened about 10 p.m. Thursday on Route 37 near the Pine Acres Manor mobile home park, authorities said.

Schlinger was riding the Yamaha east on Route 37 when a 2005 Nissan Murano pulled out onto Route 37 into the path of the motorcycle, authorities said. Schlinger was unable to avoid a collision and hit the rear passenger side door of the Nissan, and suffered serious injuries, authorities said.

After the crash, the Nissan continued east on Route 37 until it would no longer drive, and then the driver got out and ran into some nearby woods, authorities said. He ultimately was found and arrested by Manchester Township police officers, Billhimer said.

The driver was then administered standardized field sobriety tests, all of which he failed, Billhimer said. He was taken to Community Medical Center and a sample of his blood was drawn pursuant to a court-authorized warrant, Billhimer said.

He was being held at the Ocean County Jail pending a detention hearing.

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Vehicular Homicide Unit, Manchester Township Police Department, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit collaborated on the investigation.