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A suspect in the alleged assaults turned himself into the Ocean County Sheriff's Office on Wednesday, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.
Raziel Mancebo of Scotch Plains had been charged with several assault charges on Monday in connection with a clash the day before, Billhimer said.
On July 4 at about 9:15 p.m., Toms River police were called to Cattus Island Boulevard and Hazelwood Road on a report of an unconscious man in the roadway, the prosecutor said.
Patrol officers found Alan Stever, 56, of Toms River, with an apparent head injury, authorities said. Stever was airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune where he was listed in serious but stable condition on Wednesday afternoon, according to Billhimer.
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An investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit and the Toms River Township Police Detective Bureau found that a black BMW was traveling north on Hazelwood Road at a high rate of speed, Billhimer said. The BMW reportedly approached the cross street of Hazelwood Road and Cattus Island Boulevard and stopped at the stop sign, he said. A resident of the Toms River neighborhood, Jason Durante, 50, reportedly approached the BMW, the prosecutor said.
The driver of the BMW and Durante reportedly exchanged words and eventually became involved in a physical altercation, according to Billhimer. The BMW's driver also became involved in a physical altercation with Alan Stever, Billhimer said. The driver allegedly struck Stever, who fell to the ground and hit his head on the pavement, the prosecutor said.
The driver of the BMW then got back into his vehicle and traveled east on Cattus Island Boulevard, Billhimer said.
Extensive further investigation found that Mancebo was the driver of the BMW and was responsible for striking both Durante and Stever, according to Billhimer.
After surrounding himself to county Sheriff's on Wednesday, Mancebo was processed, formally charged at Toms River Police Department and taken to Ocean County Jail, authorities said.
Mancebo was being held at the county jail pending a detention hearing.
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