LACEY – Township police arrested David Winkle, 40, of the Forked River section of the township on January 17. He was charged with third degree assault by auto for hitting a township woman with his vehicle.
Officers responded to the area of Lacey Road and Holmes Avenue at 5: 41 p.m. December 15, 2019 for a vehicle that struck a pedestrian. That investigation revealed Mariam Manukyan, 67, Forked River, was attempting to cross Lacey Road from south to north when she was struck in the eastbound lane by a 2011 Jeep Patriot operated by Winkle.
Manukyan was flown to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for treatment of serious bodily injury sustained in the crash. On the night of the crash Winkle was arrested for DWI and was transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River where a Blood Draw Search Warrant was later executed.
Winkle is accused of operating a vehicle while under the influence causing serious bodily injury to Manukyan, and he faces three additional counts of second degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child; one count for each minor child in his vehicle at the time of the crash. He was also issued motor vehicle summonses for Driving While Impaired, Driving While Impaired with Child Passenger, Reckless Driving, Unsafe Tires, and Operating an Uninsured Vehicle.
After he was processed at police headquarters, Winkle was transferred to the custody of the Ocean County Jail in accordance with bail reform.
Township Police Sergeant Robert Flynn, Detective Anthony Carrington III and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Vehicular Homicide Unit were involved in investigating the crash.
