UPDATE: Man Faces Aggravated Assault by Auto, DWI Charges

A serious accident on Friday afternoon culminated in the arrest of a Leonardo resident on aggravated assault with a motor vehicle and driving while intoxicated charges and landed both the driver and front seat passenger in the car in the hospital trauma care, where they remain.

The crash that occurred on , in the Navesink section of Middletown, at 2:39 p.m. on Oct. 7, happened under dry and clear weather conditions, Traffic Bureau, said.

“Preliminary investigation indicates Charles Chapman, 44, of Leonardo was operating the vehicle and lost control on the rural dirt roadway (between Club Way and Bowne Road on ),” Maguire said. “The vehicle left the roadway striking several trees and severely injuring Chapman and the front seat passenger, Tina Little, 39, of Highlands.”

The driver was "unrestrained," or not wearing a seatbelt, he added. Whether or not Little was wearing a seatbelt is still being determined via an investigation.

After being flown by helicopter from the scene on Friday to the Jersey Shore University Medical Center Trauma Unit, Neptune, Little is still in critical condition, Maguire said.

Chapman, the driver, was initially transported to Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank, after the accident; but ended up being transferred to Jersey Shore, where he is in stable condition, Maguire added.

Chapman was arrested by Middletown Police Patrolman C.J. Higgins and charged with driving while intoxicated and two counts of aggravated assault with a motor vehicle.

His bail was set at $40.000, with no 10 percent option.

“Roger Bremekamp 46, a rear seat passenger, suffered minor injuries and was transported to Riverview Medical Center,” Maguire said. “He was treated and released from the hospital and was arrested on an outstanding warrant by Patrolman John Mele.”  He was held on $2,178 bail.

In February, 18-year-old Middletown resident Paul Bradley was killed in an accident on . This crash occurred 1.6 miles east of that scene. Red Bank resident Adam Sofio, the 18-year-old driver of the car in the February accident, whose car struck a tree and was split in two, is now facing vehicular homicide and assault by auto charges for Bradley's death.    

Middletown police were assisted at the scene by Middletown E.M.S., Fire Department and Fire Police, as well as Monoc paramedics and medevac helicopter.

The crash is being investigated by patrolmen C.J Higgins and Nicholas Caprio of the Middletown Township Police Traffic Bureau.