No Criminal Charges for Former Brick Employee Who Struck Teen

The man who was under investigation in the death of a township teenager is not facing criminal charges.

Patrick Doyle, 54, a former township employee, was – a motor vehicle offense in New Jersey – after striking 19-year-old Anthony Briffa with his car the night of May 11, 2011.

Briffa, a student at Ocean County College, was riding his skateboard on Jordan Road about 10 p.m. that night.

Maria Briffa, Anthony's sister, told Brick Patch that a grand jury declined to indict Doyle on any criminal charges, though officials with the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office would not comment on grand jury activity, saying the information could not be publicly released.

Executive Assistant Prosecutor Michael Paulhus did confirm, however, that there are no indictable charges pending against Doyle, and the DWI case would move forward in municipal court.

In January, Paulhus said the DWI case in order to avoid double jeopardy issues if criminal charges were to be filed.

Maria Briffa said the DWI case had moved from Brick to Toms River, then to Point Pleasant, and the family was awaiting the confirmation of a new court date. The case was investigated by Toms River Police and county authorities instead of Brick police because Doyle was, at the time, a part-time employee with the township. He resigned that position shortly after the accident.

"There's no closure," Maria Briffa said, adding that the family's grief has not subsided more than a year later.

Briffa said her family was hoping to raise $500 by the end of summer for Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Information on the fundraising effort is posted on a Facebook page created by the family.