Toms River Driver, 18, Charged In Hit-Run Crash That Left Whippany Utility Worker Critical

An 18-year-old driver from Toms River was charged with Monday's hit-and-run that left a 51-year-old utility worker From Whippany in critical condition, authorities said.

Metuchen police released this photo of a white pickup truck suspected in a hit-and-run crash. The driver of this truck turned out to be a witness who helped in an investigation that led to an arrest.
Photo Credit: *Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office*

Jon Craig

03/03/2020 1:55 p.m.

A white Ford F 250 pickup truck struck the victim in the crosswalk at Middlesex Avenue and Grove Avenue at 9:01 a.m. and kept going, Metuchen police said.

Middlesex County Acting Prosecutor Christopher L.C. Kuberiet and Metuchen Police Chief David Irizarry sought the public's assistance in identifying the driver of a white pickup truck seen near the incident.

That driver contacted authorities and was determined to be a witness to the hit-run crash, Kuberiet said on Tuesday.

That contact led to identifying a suspect, Paddy Flynn, who was subsequently charged, authorities said.

Flynn was charged with second-degree aggravated assault, third-degree leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in serious bodily injury and issued various motor vehicle summonses.

The utility worker, from Whippany in Morris County, was taken to Robert Wood Johnson Hospital in New Brunswick where he remained in critical condition on Tuesday, they said.

Flynn was scheduled for his initial court appearance via video Tuesday afternoon in New Brunswick Superior Court.

The investigation is active and continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Metuchen Sgt. Robert Belluscio at (732) 632-8500 or Middlesex County Prosecutor's Detective Jonathan Berman at (732) 745-4328.

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