TOMS RIVER – The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office has announced that Patrick Pennell, a 55-year-old resident of Toms River, has been indicted by a Grand Jury in Ocean County. Pennell faces charges of Bias Intimidation and Criminal Mischief in connection with an incident that occurred on November 22, 2022, in Toms River.
On the aforementioned date, officers from the Toms River Township Police Department responded to a disturbance in progress at a residence on Parisian Drive. Upon arrival, the officers discovered a vehicle parked in the driveway with its driver’s side window shattered. Subsequent investigation revealed that the victim had been visiting an acquaintance at the residence when Pennell, a neighbor of the acquaintance, approached and engaged in a confrontational manner.
According to reports, Pennell directed racial and homophobic slurs at the victim during the encounter. As the victim attempted to leave the scene, Pennell allegedly punched the driver’s side window of the victim’s vehicle, causing it to shatter. Law enforcement took Pennell into custody and transported him to Toms River Township Police Headquarters, where he was processed and charged on a summons pending future appearances in Ocean County Superior Court.