An 18-year-old, Abel Mathukutty from Lake Hiawatha in Parsippany-Troy Hills, has been charged in connection with a fatal hit-and-run accident that occurred Saturday evening on Route 37 in Toms River.
Abel Mathukutty was behind the wheel of an Infiniti sedan that struck a white Mercedes sedan occupied by a woman and a man shortly after 7:25 p.m. on May 24.
Records indicate that he is a senior at Parsippany High School and a former student-athlete who used to wrestle for Parsippany Wrestling during his sophomore and junior years.
According to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, the impact forced the Mercedes off the road and into a utility pole, leaving both occupants with serious injuries.
The female driver tragically died from her injuries after being transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River.
The male passenger, whose identity has not yet been released, was transferred to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune and remains in critical condition.
Abel Mathukutty Fled The Scene After The Accident
Following the crash, Mathukutty allegedly fled the scene, continuing eastbound over the Thomas A. Mathis Bridge.
A description of the suspect vehicle was shared with nearby law enforcement agencies.
At approximately 8:00 p.m., just 30 minutes after the incident, Seaside Park police located a heavily damaged Infiniti sedan matching the description of the vehicle involved.
The car had extensive passenger-side damage and deployed airbags, confirming it had recently been in a high-impact collision.
Police identified Abel Mathukutty as the driver and took him into custody without incident.
He was booked into the Ocean County Jail and awaits a detention hearing.
Mathukutty now faces serious charges of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash, causing death and serious bodily injury.
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit – Vehicular Homicide Squad, along with Toms River Police, Seaside Park Police, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, are continuing their investigation into the fatal crash.
Parsippany Community Is In Shock After The Tragic Incident
The tragic nature of the accident and the suspect’s alleged actions have shocked both Morris County and Ocean County communities.
The names of the victims have not been released, pending notification of the family.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer released a statement expressing condolences to the victims’ families and affirming the seriousness of the charges.
Authorities continue to gather details surrounding the crash.
They urge anyone who may have witnessed the incident or who has dashcam footage from the area around Route 37 eastbound near the Thomas A. Mathis Bridge around 7:25 p.m. on May 24 to contact the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
As the investigation continues, the community mourns a life lost and prays for the recovery of the critically injured passenger.
