FREEHOLD, NJ—Thomas A. Redding, a 45-year-old Howell Township resident, has been charged in connection with a fatal motor vehicle collision that occurred in July 2023.
The announcement was made jointly by Monmouth County First Assistant Prosecutor Julia Alonso and Wall Township Police Chief Sean O’Halloran.
Redding is facing multiple charges, including second-degree Death by Auto, third-degree Possession of Cocaine, and a disorderly persons offense for Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. This follows a three-vehicle collision on Old Mill Road and State Route 138 in Wall Township, where Redding’s vehicle struck two others that were stopped at a red light.
The collision resulted in the death of 55-year-old Leonard Akers of Wall Township, who was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center but succumbed to his injuries. An investigation led by the Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team (SCART) and other local authorities concluded that Redding was under the influence at the time of the accident.
After evading arrest, Redding was recently apprehended by a combined effort of the Prosecutor’s Office, Wall Township Police, and the U.S. Marshals Service in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
He is currently detained there, awaiting extradition to New Jersey for future court proceedings in Monmouth County Superior Court. Additional charges against Redding include Speeding, Reckless Driving, and Driving While Intoxicated.
