By Stephen Appezzato
RED BANK – In the early morning hours of Sunday, June 11, a dramatic incident unfolded on the Senator Joseph M. Kyrillos Bridge as a stolen car heading westbound crashed, flipped over a guardrail and landed on several boats within the Red Bank Marina.
At around 4:28 a.m., Red Bank Police received an alert from a 2021 BMW 5 Series’ onboard assistant, signaling a potential crash. Patrol units were quick to respond, discovering a near-vertical luxury sedan in the marina. Concerned about potential injuries, Red Bank Fire, Rescue and First Aid were immediately dispatched to the marina although, to their surprise, the driver was nowhere to be found. According to Red Bank Police Capt. Michael Frazee, emergency responders combed the area but could not locate the suspect.
Upon further investigation, police identified the BMW’s registered owner as a Fair Haven resident. Fair Haven police visited the owner’s residence, only to discover the vehicle had been stolen.
Red Bank Police are conducting a vehicle crash investigation while Fair Haven Police are investigating the theft.
Following Sunday’s events, Fair Haven Police Chief Joseph McGovern issued a reminder to residents to remain vigilant and take action to prevent thefts, stating he believed “because of the precautions residents have taken we have and will continue to reduce or eliminate these vehicle thefts.”
While not as hot of a topic as last year, car thefts in the Two River area remain an issue. In April, thieves broke into a Holmdel house, crawling through a garage window and managing to snag two cars. In May, a vehicle was stolen in Rumson, prompting a police advisory for residents to remain vigilant, lock car doors and remove keys and valuables.
“I would like to thank everyone for doing their part and if we continue to all work together and be proactive we can put an end to these thefts,” McGovern wrote.
The article originally appeared in the June 15 – 21, 2023 print edition of The Two River Times.
