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An indictment returned by a grand jury in Toms River charges Brian Kosanke, 39, with vehicular homicide, among other counts, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said Thursday.
First responders treated Thomas Castronovo of Warren at the scene after he was struck while crossing northbound Route 35 at Guyer Avenue around 6:30 p.m. Oct. 19, Billhimer said.
He was then taken to nearby Community Medical Center in Toms River, where he was later pronounced dead.
A warrant was issued for Kosanke's arrest after the results of a blood test showed Xanax, cocaine, fentanyl and gabapentin in his system, the prosecutor said.
During his Nov. 7 arrest, Billhimer said, officers said they found a quantity of Xanax packaged for sale.
Surveillance footage following the crash showed him also removing something from the vehicle, which the prosecutor said turned out to be heroin that Kosanke hid on the side of the road and retrieved following his release from the hospital after providing the blood sample.
Kosanke is charged with:
- vehicular homicide, as well as strict liability vehicular homicide;
- DWI;
- possession and possesion with the intent to distribute Xanax;
- hindering apprehension or prosecution.
He remained held in the Ocean County Jail pending an arraignment.
Participating in the investigation were detectives from Billhimer's Vehicular Homicide Unit, Lavallette police and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, which collected evidence.
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