Youth guilty in ATV case

HOWELL — A 16-year-old male was found guilty of one count of second degree aggravated assault and one count of fourth degree assault by auto on Dec. 7 following a trial before state Superior Court Judge James J. McGann, sitting in Freehold.

The charges stemmed from an incident that occurred in Howell on Nov. 14, 2005.

According to a press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, testimony during the trial described the juvenile driving an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on a public street.

At one point the juvenile turned a corner and accelerated the ATV toward a group of teenagers who were walking down the street. The juvenile driving the ATV struck one of the teenagers, propelling him into the air. The victim suffered serious bodily injury in the form of two fractured leg bones, according to the press release.

Both the victim and the juvenile driver were transported to Centra State Medical Center, Freehold Township, where the juvenile driver, suffering minor injuries, was treated and released. As a result of the incident, a metal rod was surgically implanted in the victim’s leg. Thereafter, the victim was confined to a wheelchair for approximately one month.

Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin credited the investigative efforts of the Howell Police Department. He said, “The safety of the public while traveling on the roads of Monmouth County is of paramount importance. The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office will continue to aggressively prosecute those who cause injury to others through their reckless operation of motor vehicles.”

The juvenile is scheduled to appear before McGann for sentencing on Jan. 11. The maximum penalty for the second degree charge is three years in the custody of the Juvenile Justice Commission, and the maximum penalty for the fourth degree charge is one year in the custody of the Juvenile Justice Commission, according to the press release.