Open alcohol, marijuana found after head-on crash in Ocean County

🚙 A Philadelphia man is charged after police say his SUV crossed into oncoming traffic and caused a head-on crash in Lacey.
🚑 The driver of the other vehicle and a passenger in the SUV were seriously injured but were listed in stable condition.
🍺 Police said they found open alcohol containers and pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes in the SUV and observed signs of impairment.

LACEY — A Philadelphia man has been charged with assault by auto in connection with an Ocean County crash over the weekend that involved drugs and alcohol.

Lacey Township crash on Route 539 leaves 2 seriously injured

On Sunday, September 13, at approximately 8:45 p.m., officers from the Lacey Township Police Department responded to an accident with serious injuries on Route 539 near mile marker 16.5, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer reported.

ALSO READ: Boat found unmanned in Atlantic Highlands harbor 

A joint investigation by the prosecutor’s office, the Lacey Township Police Department, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit found that a Ford Explorer, driven by Jared Beswick, 27, of Philadelphia, was traveling erratically in the northbound lane when it crossed into oncoming traffic, colliding head-on with a Toyota Rav4 in the southbound lane.

The driver of the Rav4 and a passenger in Beswick’s SUV were taken to a hospital where they were listed in serious but stable condition, Billhimer said.

Police find open alcohol containers and marijuana in SUV

Police said Beswick showed outward signs of impairment. They also found multiple open containers of alcohol and pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes inside Beswick’s vehicle, Billhimer said.

Beswick was first taken to Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin to have his blood drawn pursuant to a court-authorized warrant. He was charged with two counts of assault by auto.

Philadelphia driver faces Ocean County jail after hospital release

Upon release from the hospital, Beswick will be taken to the Ocean County Jail where he’ll remain until a detention hearing.

The crash remains under investigation, and police said there may be additional charges.

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom