A local politician's son, that has repeated DUI offenses and is currently on probation, was the driver of a car that struck and killed an elderly man on September 21, as reported by The Asbury Park Press.
M.G. Jr., 76, was killed by R.K., 25, when the younger man drove into him at approximately 10:15 a.m. on Mermaid Drive in Stafford.
The current president of the Stafford Township Council is R.K.'s father.
Records from the state Motor Vehicle Commission, which is currently investigating the crash, show that R.K. has had seven license suspensions – three of those were for DUI.
On September 21, however, R.K. was driving with a valid driver's license.
R.K.'s motor vehicle records begin on January 22, 2002 with a summons that accused him of DUI on a moped. At that time R.K. was 15 years old. He was fined $85 but, per Motor Vehicle Commission spokesman Mike Horan, his license was not suspended in the incident.
Per Horan, the next incident, occurring April 12, 2004, R.K. was charged again with underage DUI. Another followed within the same year, July 20, 2004, in which this time his license was suspended for 210 days.
When he failed to comply with terms invoked on the 2004 DUI, his license was suspended again – and was restored on April 4, 2006. By September 16, 2006 he had his first DUI involving a vehicle in an accident.
Next was a suspension of 730 days, per Horan, on March 14, 2008 – though this time it wasn't for DUI. R.K. had pleaded guilty to three charges of assault by auto/vessel in Eagleswood. He received a sentence of 180 days in jail and five years probation.
R.K. was also charged for DUI on April 28, 2007. His license suspension then garnered another 210 days.
He failed to pay surcharge fees at least twice which warranted him further suspensions; once on October 19, 2008 and then again, just under a year later, on October 18, 2009.
By December 3, 2010 he had his driving privileges restored again, only to loose them once more for failure to pay the surcharge.
Finally, up until this last incident, his driving privileges had been restored on August 8, 2011.
Horan said that at the time of the latest incident R.K. had been driving with a license that had not points on it. Horan called it "What we consider a driver in good standing."
Deputy Chief Michael Mohel, of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, said that the investigations is awaiting R.K.'s blood analysis reports. It is unclear, until the reports are in, what the specific criminal charges will be.
M.G.'s autopsy showed that he had died due to multiple, traumatic injuries sustained in the accident.
Mohel said that R.K., driving south on Mermaid Drive, struck pedestrian M.G. and a parked vehicle.
The scene of the fatality has now become a makeshift memorial.
If you have been charged with crimes related to DUI, DWI, OUI or OWI, contact a DUI attorney today! Your motor vehicle record will be closely examined – which will require that you obtain the best defense possible.
