An Ocean County man has been arrested in connection with the death of a mother and her child in a fatal July crash in Freehold Township, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago announced.
On Dec. 16, Thomas F. Polson, 53, of Little Egg Harbor, was arrested on two counts of second degree vehicular homicide, one count of third degree hindering apprehension, two counts of fourth degree assault by auto and one count of fourth degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance, according to a press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.
The charges that have been lodged against Polson stem from a fatal motor vehicle crash that took place on July 14.
At approximately 5 p.m., members of the Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team, the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Freehold Township Police Department responded to the area of Siloam and Old Turkey Swamp roads in Freehold Township.
At that location, first responders located three vehicles that had been involved in a collision: a Ford F350 pickup truck driven by Polson; a Chrysler Pacifica minivan driven by Denise James, 42, of Ocean Township (Ocean County); and a Honda CR-V sport utility vehicle driven by a 34-year-old male resident of Jackson.
James was pronounced deceased at the scene. Her 3-year-old child was transported via medical helicopter to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, where she later succumbed to her injuries.
The other two children, ages 9 and 13, were also taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for treatment and were later released, according to the press release.
An investigation determined Polson’s pickup truck allegedly left the southbound lane of Siloam Road and struck the Honda SUV with a glancing blow before colliding head-on with the Chrysler minivan immediately thereafter.
The investigation determined that at the time of the collision Polson was allegedly operating his vehicle while under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance, according to the press release.
Anyone who may have witnessed the collision or has any information about it is asked to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Nicolas Logothetis at 800-533-7443 or Freehold Township Patrolman Justin Nunno at 732-294-5139.
As of Dec. 16, Polson was being held at the Monmouth County jail, Freehold Township, pending a first appearance and detention hearing to take place in state Superior Court, Freehold.
Convictions on second degree criminal charges of this nature are commonly punishable by up to 10 years in state prison, according to the press release.
