By DUSTIN RACIOPPI
Former Fair Haven Fire Chief Shaun Foley is scheduled to appear in Rumson Municipal court late Monday afternoon to answer charges arising from a November 22 car crash that led to his being fished out of the Navesink River a mile away.
The 27-year-old Fair Haven resident and former Rumson police dispatcher faces charges of DWI, leaving the scene of an accident, reckless driving and failure to report. Following the November incident, Foley, through his lawyer, Mitchell Ansell, pleaded not guilty to the charges.
“It may be settled that day, it may not. You just don’t know,” said Carol Dice, Rumson’s court administrator.
Ansell was not immediately available for comment earlier today.
Because of Foley’s close connection in both Rumson and Fair Haven, the last three months were spent seeking a new judge and prosecutor to handle the case, local officials said. Ansell had initially sought to change the venue. Instead, Long Branch Municipal Judge George Cieri will preside over the case and Rumson’s alternate prosecutor, James Ronan, will replace Mike Halfacre, who is also the mayor of Fair Haven.
Foley resigned from both his public service positions after allegedly crashing his fire chief’s truck into a telephone pole in Rumson, then running from the scene to nearby Oceanic Bridge, where he jumped off. The triggered a massive nighttime rescue effort.
