Howell Driver Charged With DWI Following Crash

A crash on Yellowbrook Road on Saturday night sent a Farmingdale resident to a local hospital and resulted in a Howell resident facing a variety of charges.

Sgt. Mike Martin reported that at around 7:45 p.m. 40-year-old Wilbur Briggs was driving a 1999 Dodge Durango north on Yellowbrook Road when he crossed into the other lane of traffic. At that time he struck a 2002 Dodge Durango being driven by 44-year-old Richard Hernandez of Farmingdale. 

Following the crash witnesses reported seeing Briggs run to his house near the scene of the accident. One of the officers responding to the scene was K-9 officer Nicholas Bondarew who tracked Briggs along with his partner Jago.

Briggs was eventually located in a neighbor's garage and originally "refused to comply," with the officers attempting to arrest him according to Martin. He was eventually taken into custody and transported to police headquarters. He was charged with driving while intoxicated, aggravated assault by auto and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash where the other driver sustained serious bodily injury.

Martin said Briggs was also given motor vehicle summonses for driving under the influence of alcohol, refusal to submit to breath testing, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane, leaving the scene of a motor vehicle with injury, failure to report an accident, having an uninspected vehicle and driving on unsafe tires.

Bail was set by Howell Township Municipal Judge Michael Pugliese at $12,500 and he was taken to the Monmouth County Correctional Institution. 

Martin said as a result of the crash Hernandez was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center with "a serious facial laceration."

Responding to the scene were the Howell First Aid Squad, the Farmingdale First Aid Squad and the Ramtown First Aid Squad as well as the Adelphia Fire Company and the Farmingdale Fire Company. The accident is being investigated by Ptl. James Conaty.