Brick Lawyer Now Charged in Toms River Hit-and-Run

Though Brick resident in a hit-and-run accident June 17, prosecutors now believe it was all a ruse to protect his employer, attorney John Koufos, another Brick resident.

Kuofus is now charged with driving the car that struck 17-year-old Kevin O’Brien, a Newtown, Pa., boy who who was walking in the northbound shoulder of Route 35 in the Silver Beach section with friends that evening.

Kuofus is also charged with leaving the scene of the accident, aggravated assault with his vehicle, hindering his own apprehension, and witness tampering.

“Our investigation now reveals Mr. Terlizzi’s statements in connection with that investigation were false, and made with the intent of shielding his employer, attorney John Koufos, from responsibility for the accident,” said Ocean County Prosecutor Marlene Lynch Ford in a statement released today.

The charge against Terlizzi for operating the vehicle was dropped, but for his alleged role in lying to investigators to protect his boss, Terlizzi today was charged with hindering an investigation by giving false information to law enforcement officers. He was released on a summons.

The accident occurred in the Silver Beach section of Toms River in the northbound lanes of Route 35 around 9:30 p.m. last Friday. O'Brien was critically injured and was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, for treatment. He remains in the hospital a week later, Ford said.

The night of the incident, witnesses reported seeing a black vehicle speed away in the northbound lanes of Route 35 on the barrier island after striking O’Brien, Toms River Police Chief Michael Mastronardy said at the time. Kuofus' car was later found on Downer Ave. in Mantoloking with its windshield smashed from the impact, police said.

“Our complaint alleges he recklessly caused serious bodily injury to a 17-year-old minor, under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life,” Ford said.

Terlizzi, who works at the Kuofus law firm – which has offices in Long Branch and New Brunswick – told police he was driving the vehicle, and was arrested the following day.

“Mr. Terlizzi admitted to operating the vehicle, a 2011 Lexus, at or about the time of the accident which injured Kevin O’Brien. As a result of statements made by Craig Terlizzi, he was charged with leaving the scene of an accident which resulted in serious bodily injury to the 17 year old pedestrian, and was released on $50,000 bail,” Ford said.

Bail for Koufos was set at $150,000 with a 10 percent option by Superior Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels. Daniels ordered Koufos not to have any contact with Terlizzi as a condition of his bail.

The Prosecutor's Office, Ocean County Sheriff's Department, and police departments from Toms River, Brick and Mantoloking investigated the accident. Anyone with additional information on the investigation is asked to call Detective David Margentino of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-929-2027, or Officer Michael Brosnan and Corporal Gary Flynn of the Toms River Police Department at 732-349-0150.