Toms River man charged with assault by auto after Brick scooter crash
TOMS RIVER, N.J. – A Toms River man is facing additional criminal charges after prosecutors say he was intoxicated and driving with a suspended license when his pickup truck struck an electric scooter rider in Brick Township earlier this year. The crash left a 40-year-old man injured after he was dragged beneath the vehicle along Route 88 late at night.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer announced that on March 31, 2026, Lloyd Ferrara, 30, was charged with Assault by Auto in connection with the January 15 crash. The charge follows laboratory results showing Ferrara’s blood alcohol concentration was nearly three times the legal limit at the time of the incident.
Crash investigation details
At approximately 10:15 p.m. on January 15, officers responded to the intersection of Route 88 and Jack Martin Boulevard for a report of a collision involving a pickup truck and an electric scooter. Investigators determined that a 1988 Ford pickup truck operated by Ferrara was traveling westbound and attempting to turn right into a convenience store parking lot when it failed to yield to an eastbound scooter, resulting in a head-on crash.
The scooter operator, identified as a 40-year-old man, was ejected and dragged a short distance under the truck. He was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune for treatment and later released.
“Officers from the Brick Township Police Department responded to the area of Route 88 and Jack Martin Boulevard for a report of a motor vehicle crash involving a motor vehicle and an electric scooter,” Billhimer said. “An investigation revealed that a 1988 Ford pick-up truck – operated by Ferrara – was traveling westbound on Route 88 and attempted to make a right hand turn into a convenience store parking lot when it failed to yield to an electric scooter.”
Blood alcohol results and prior charges
Responding officers at the scene observed signs of intoxication and attempted to administer field sobriety tests, which Ferrara was unable to complete successfully. He was arrested and charged with Driving Under the Influence before being transported to Ocean University Medical Center, where a blood sample was taken under a court-authorized warrant.
Laboratory analysis later showed Ferrara had a BAC of .247%. “Laboratory results… revealed that Ferrara had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .247%,” Billhimer said. “Additionally, Ferrara’s blood was found to contain traces of marijuana, and that he was unfit to operate a motor vehicle at the time of the crash.”
Investigators also found Ferrara was driving with a suspended license and that the pickup truck displayed fictitious license plates. He was previously charged with operating a vehicle with a suspended license while involved in a crash resulting in serious bodily injury and was lodged in the Ocean County Jail before being released under New Jersey bail reform guidelines.
On March 31, Ferrara surrendered to Brick Township Police Headquarters, where he was served with the assault by auto charge via summons. He is scheduled to appear in Ocean County Superior Court.
“Ferrara surrendered himself to Brick Township Police Headquarters and served with the additional charge of Assault by Auto via summons,” Billhimer said.
Prosecutors credited multiple agencies for their roles in the investigation, including the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Vehicular Homicide Unit, Brick Township Police Department, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit.
The charges are accusations, and Ferrara is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
