Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato and Seaside Heights Police Chief Thomas Boyd today announced the arrest of Todd M. Genty, 54, of Seaside Heights.
Authorities charged Genty with Witness Tampering and Evidence Tampering. In addition, police charged him with Failure to Stop, Leaving the Scene of an Accident and Failure to Report an Accident.
Officials said Genty’s arrest stems from his involvement in a motor vehicle collision with a bicyclist on Jan. 19th in Seaside Heights.
Police said that at approximately 4:32 p.m., a male later identified as Robert C. Lay, 66, of Seaside Heights, went to Seaside Heights Police headquarters to report a collision during which he was struck by a Seaside Heights township vehicle.
According to authorities, Lay stated that while riding his bicycle north on the boulevard at approximately 3 p.m., he was struck by what he believed to be a Seaside Heights Police vehicle at the corner of Dupont Avenue. In addition, he stated that while he was on the ground, the vehicle drove past him and parked.
The driver then allegedly exited the vehicle, approached him, and began to yell at him. When Lay went on to file a report, the driver allegedly agreed to ”make things right” by giving Lay cash and replacing his damaged bicycle.
While Lay filed the complaint, he complained of pain in the back area of his head. Tri-Boro First Aid Squad treated Lay but he refused to be transported to the hospital for any further treatment at that time.
Allegedly, the bicycle he was riding was placed against a wall, and both he and the driver left the scene police said.
Seaside Police Ptl. Chris Linnell immediately initiated an investigation into Lay’s report.
Police say the investigation confirmed that the collision took place, the date, time and location of the collision, as well as the identity of the driver and the borough vehicle involved.
Ptl. Linnell found the involved vehicle was assigned and operated at the time of the collision by Seaside Heights Parking Enforcement Supervisor Todd M. Genty, who failed to contact headquarters by radio or phone regarding the incident.
According to police, Ptl. Linnell related the results of his investigation to Detective Stephen Korman of the Seaside Heights Police Office of Professional Responsibility.
Korman and Linnell determined that Genty replaced Lay’s damaged bicycle with a bicycle taken from the police department’s temporary evidence/property area.
The victim positively identified a photo of his bicycle that was damaged during the accident in addition to a photo of a bicycle that he found upon his arrival at his residence after the collision.
Authorities confirmed that the bicycle was from the police department’s temporary evidence/property area.
According to police, at that time, Chief Boyd directed Detective Korman to turn the investigation over to the Office of the Ocean County Prosecutor to avoid any conflict of interest and for further review.
After reviewing the case evidence, Senior Assistant Prosecutor William Scharfenberg approved the above charges against Genty police said.
Genty, accompanied by his attorney, Jeffrey Caccese Esq of the Comegno Law Group in Morristown, surrendered at Seaside Heights Police Headquarters.
Authorities charged and released Genty on a summons to answer the charges at a future date.
The public is reminded that criminal charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.