TOMS RIVER — A Manchester Township man has been charged with two more counts of assault by auto after authorities said lab results showed he was impaired during a serious head-on crash in May.
Andrew Gajewski, 30, was charged June 16 with two additional counts of assault by auto, specifically causing serious bodily injury while driving impaired, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.
The charges stem from a May 18 crash near Route 37 and Batchelor Street in Toms River. Police responded around 8:30 p.m. and found a 2022 Ford F-150 and a 2021 GMC Acadia with damage consistent with a head-on collision, authorities said.
Gajewski, who was driving the Ford, ran from the scene on foot, officials said. He was later found in a wooded area near the crash site. Authorities said he resisted arrest and assaulted a Toms River police K-9 before being taken into custody.
The driver of the GMC Acadia was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune and later released to a rehabilitation facility. A passenger in the Acadia and a passenger in the Ford were taken to Community Medical Center in Toms River, where both were treated and released.
Police said Gajewski showed signs of intoxication at the scene. Investigators obtained a court-authorized blood draw while he was being treated at Community Medical Center for injuries sustained during his arrest.
Authorities said an investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad, Toms River police and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit found that Gajewski was driving on the wrong side of the road when the crash occurred. Investigators also determined he had been speeding and driving recklessly before the collision, officials said.
Gajewski had previously been charged with leaving the scene of a crash resulting in serious bodily injury, three counts of assault by auto, resisting arrest and injuring an animal used by a law enforcement agency. He also received several motor vehicle summonses, including reckless driving, careless driving, failure to maintain lane, leaving the scene of a crash causing injury and failure to report an accident.
After being released from the hospital, Gajewski was taken to the Ocean County Jail and later released under New Jersey bail reform, authorities said.
The prosecutor’s office later received blood test results, which authorities said showed Gajewski was under the influence of alcohol and controlled dangerous substances at the time of the crash and was not fit to drive.
Gajewski was arrested without incident June 17 at his home by detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad and Toms River police. He was taken to the Ocean County Jail, where he was being held pending a detention hearing.
Billhimer credited the prosecutor’s vehicular homicide squad, Toms River police, the Toms River Police Department K-9 Unit and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit for their work on the case.
The charges are accusations. Gajewski is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
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