Guilty Plea In Fatal Hit And Run

Alexander V. Politan (Photo courtesy Ocean County Jail)

  TOMS RIVER – A Toms River man pled guilty to leaving the scene of a crash where he had struck two pedestrians.

  Alexander Politan, 31, of Toms River, pled guilty to Knowingly Leaving the Scene of a Motor Vehicle Accident Resulting in Death, and Driving with a Suspended License, police said.

  On the night of Oct. 4, 2019, Lakewood Police responded to a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle on Oak Street.

  Jesus Lopez-Grande, 15, and his father, Jesus Lopez-Ramirez, 37, both of Lakewood, were walking near the shoulder of Oak Street when they were struck by a vehicle. While the father suffered an injury to his elbow, his son passed away from his injuries.

  Police followed evidence back to Politan. Debris from his black 2014 Jeep Cherokee was found at the scene. Two days after the crash, his Jeep was spotted in the driveway of a residence on New Hampshire Avenue in Toms River with crash damage.

  Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer acknowledged the efforts of Senior Assistant Prosecutor Robert Cassidy who handled the case on behalf of the State, and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Vehicular Homicide Unit, Lakewood Township Police Department, Toms River Police Department, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit for their combined investigative assistance resulting in Politan’s guilty plea.