POINT PLEASANT BOROUGH – Ocean County Authorities have made an arrest in the hit-and-run accident that left a 14-year-old girl in critical condition.
Police say 26-year-old Brittany Keifer of Point Pleasant was arrested on Friday, August 10th and charged with 4th degree assault by auto, 3rd degree leaving the scene of an accident with serious bodily injury, a motor vehicle summons for reckless driving and for leaving the scene of the accident and failing to report an accident.
Police Detective Hynes arrested Keifer. She was released on a complaint summons.
In addition to the Point Pleasant Borough Police Department, the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department were all involved in this investigation leading to the arrest.
The arrest announcement was originally posted on the Point Pleasant Borough Police Facebook Page.
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office says the 14-year-old victim, who has not been identified by authorities, was crossing Route 88 near Sunset Avenue on her bike with two others Thursday night around 10:30 p.m. when she was struck by a black sedan.
Spokesman Al Della Fave says “the teen was thrown onto the windshield over the hood, where she was carried on the car for a time before being thrown off.”
Della Fave adds “the vehicle’s driver callously continued driving after the impact, carrying the victim on the vehicle hood for a distance before she was thrown free of the vehicle.”
Keifer fled the scene, traveling east on Route 88.
Point Pleasant Borough Police Chief Richard Larsen tells Jersey Shore Online, “the car was at her house under a tarp on her property. We impounded that vehicle and several hours later we were able to locate Keifer. She and her attorney appeared at our headquarters later that night.”
On social media, several posts were questioning why Keifer wasn’t taken to jail. According to Chief Larsen, “she was processed at our headquarters and was not committed to a Detention Facility on bail because she did not meet the requirements under the New Jersey Bail Reform Act.”
Although the vicitm has yet to be identified, a GoFundMe page has been set up for her and the person responsible for the page calls her Emma-Mae. A photo of the victim was also posted on the page.
To date, over $11,000 has been raised for her.
According to the page, “Emma Mae is in ICU with severe injuries and has a very long road to recovery ahead of her. Please help me raise money to help her family with all the expenses they will be incurring from this horrible accident. Any amount is appreciated.”
The mother of the girl who pulled her friend to safety after the crash said her 14-year-old acted on instinct to save her friend’s life.
Corinne Ajjan tells Jersey Shore Online “[It was] all instinct. Thank god she was smart enough to get her friend off the road. She told me she kept questioning her. Asking if she was hurting anywhere. If she could feel her legs. Etc.,”
The victim remains at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune in critical condition.
The investigation continues.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident is urged to call the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-929-2027 extension 3257 or the Point Pleasant Borough Police Department at 732-892-0060.
Jennifer Peacock contributed to this story.
