48°
Mashon Wilson, 30, pleaded guilty to knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in death and driving with a suspended license, in connection with the Nov. 25, 2018 incident, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.
Wilson also pleaded guilty to an unrelated charge of burglary, Billhimer said.
Lakewood police responded to West County Line and Cedar roads, where they found a 2019 Chevrolet Suburban had struck a tree around 7 a.m., Billhimer said.
The driver -- David Abayev, 21, of Lakewood -- was critically injured and the passenger -- Yechiel Yitzchak Finegold, of Baltimore, MD -- was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities previously said.
Further investigation found that the other vehicle involved in the accident, a 2018 Nissan Sentra, had fled the scene.
Police traced the car to a Lakewood home where they found Wilson along with two other individuals, Shayna Lee, 49, and Iyanna Hall, 30, the prosecutor said.
Lee and Hall told police that Lee was the driver of the Nissan in question, and had left the scene of the accident. Subsequent investigation found that Wilson was, in fact, the driver of the vehicle, and that Lee and Hall had given false statements to the police.
Lee and Hall were both charged hindering apprehension by lying to police, which remained pending as of Friday, Billhimer said.
Wilson's sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 8.
The state will be seeking a term of six years in New Jersey State Prison for the charge of leaving the scene of an accident, and four years for the burglary charge, Billhimer said.
The sentences will run concurrently.
Meanwhile, Wilson remains lodged in the Ocean County Jail.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Somerset and receive free news updates.
