By John Burton
FREEHOLD – Toni A. Marletta’s guilty plea last week in connection with the death of 15-year- old Marissa Procopio in July 2015, is cold comfort to Marissa’s mother.
“She just has no remorse,” said a teary-eyed, visibly upset Danielle Procopio-Adams, Marissa’s mother, following Marletta’s entering of guilty pleas in state Superior Court last Friday morning.
“People don’t kill people and run away,” Procopio-Adams said of Marletta’s actions. “I’m just disgusted.”
Marletta, a 50-year-old resident of the Middletown’s Leonardo section, appeared before Judge Ronald Reisner where she entered a guilty plea to one count of second degree knowingly leaving the scene of a fatal accident and to a third degree count of endangering the welfare of a child in the fatal hit-and-run collision.
FREEHOLD – Toni A. Marletta’s guilty plea last week in connection with the death of 15-year- old Marissa Procopio in July 2015, is cold comfort to Marissa’s mother.
“She just has no remorse,” said a teary-eyed, visibly upset Danielle Procopio-Adams, Marissa’s mother, following Marletta’s entering of guilty pleas in state Superior Court last Friday morning.
“People don’t kill people and run away,” Procopio-Adams said of Marletta’s actions. “I’m just disgusted.”
Marletta, a 50-year-old resident of the Middletown’s Leonardo section, appeared before Judge Ronald Reisner where she entered a guilty plea to one count of second degree knowingly leaving the scene of a fatal accident and to a third degree count of endangering the welfare of a child in the fatal hit-and-run collision.
Marletta also pleaded guilty to two motor vehicle offenses, including not having auto insurance – her second conviction for that violation, according to Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Meghan Doyle, who handled the case.
According to the negotiated plea agreement, Doyle said the prosecutor’s office recommended Marletta be sentenced to seven years in state prison for the leaving the scene of an accident offense, and to a four- year concurrent prison sentence for the endangering conviction.
According to the negotiated plea agreement, Doyle said the prosecutor’s office recommended Marletta be sentenced to seven years in state prison for the leaving the scene of an accident offense, and to a four- year concurrent prison sentence for the endangering conviction.
Marletta will again appear before Reisner’s court on Dec. 2 for the sentencing phase.
Marletta’s voice quivered and eyes welled up in tears as she responded in brief, often one-word responses, to her attorney, Peter O’Mara’s led narrative, where Marletta took responsibility for the July 7, 2015 incident. Authorities said a joint investigation conducted by Middletown police, the county prosecutor’s office and the county Serious Collision Analysis Response Team determined Marissa Procopio, a 15-year-old Atlantic Highlands resident, had been crossing state Highway 36 at the Avenue D intersection in Leonardo, when the car Marletta was driving struck Procopio.
Marletta’s voice quivered and eyes welled up in tears as she responded in brief, often one-word responses, to her attorney, Peter O’Mara’s led narrative, where Marletta took responsibility for the July 7, 2015 incident. Authorities said a joint investigation conducted by Middletown police, the county prosecutor’s office and the county Serious Collision Analysis Response Team determined Marissa Procopio, a 15-year-old Atlantic Highlands resident, had been crossing state Highway 36 at the Avenue D intersection in Leonardo, when the car Marletta was driving struck Procopio.
Procopio was transported by helicopter to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, where she died the next day from her injuries.
Marletta, who had three 16-year-old girls, one of whom is her daughter, in the car at the time of the collision, fled the scene. With the help of security video from an area business, investigators were able to locate the vehicle later that evening. According to Charles Webster, a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office, the damage to the vehicle was consistent with the collision.
Following the hearing, O’Mara distributed a statement to members of the media present before ushering Marletta out of the courtroom and building, with Marletta offering no additional comments.
In O’Mara’s statement, Marletta had taken her daughter and friends to the local supermarket for snacks and food for the girls’ planned sleepover, as well as a bottle of wine for Marletta. On the trip home, at about 8:54 p.m., “her vehicle unintentionally and inadvertently,” struck Procopio.
Marletta, who had three 16-year-old girls, one of whom is her daughter, in the car at the time of the collision, fled the scene. With the help of security video from an area business, investigators were able to locate the vehicle later that evening. According to Charles Webster, a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office, the damage to the vehicle was consistent with the collision.
Following the hearing, O’Mara distributed a statement to members of the media present before ushering Marletta out of the courtroom and building, with Marletta offering no additional comments.
In O’Mara’s statement, Marletta had taken her daughter and friends to the local supermarket for snacks and food for the girls’ planned sleepover, as well as a bottle of wine for Marletta. On the trip home, at about 8:54 p.m., “her vehicle unintentionally and inadvertently,” struck Procopio.
“Ms. Marletta fled because she immediately became overcome with panic over the fact she had recently allowed her insurance to lapse,” O’Mara maintained in his statement.
O’Mara alleged Procopio was crossing the highway against a red light, based upon the observation of an independent witness, when “after running a few steps,” in the westbound lane, “was struck by right passenger side of vehicle.”
Marletta was actually on her way to Middletown Police Headquarters when officers contacted her, where she consented to blood and toxicological tests, according to her lawyer.
O’Mara alleged Procopio was crossing the highway against a red light, based upon the observation of an independent witness, when “after running a few steps,” in the westbound lane, “was struck by right passenger side of vehicle.”
Marletta was actually on her way to Middletown Police Headquarters when officers contacted her, where she consented to blood and toxicological tests, according to her lawyer.
Despite the onslaught of social media postings on rumors to the contrary, O’Mara said an independent analysis, conducted by John Brick, Rutgers University, found “he was unable to determine or conclude that alcohol or other drugs were significant contributing factors to the collision.”
Authorities hadn’t charged Marletta with driving while impaired.
Procopio-Adams said she would rather have had Marletta go to trial given “she (Marletta) would have gotten a little more time,” by way of a prison sentence.
“Seven years is not enough. The electric chair wouldn’t be enough,” Procopio-Adams said.
For all parties, “It’s a lose-lose situation,” she said.
Authorities hadn’t charged Marletta with driving while impaired.
Procopio-Adams said she would rather have had Marletta go to trial given “she (Marletta) would have gotten a little more time,” by way of a prison sentence.
“Seven years is not enough. The electric chair wouldn’t be enough,” Procopio-Adams said.
For all parties, “It’s a lose-lose situation,” she said.
