The family of a motorcyclist killed in a crash on West Front Street in Middletown last September is pressing the Monmouth County Prosecutor to bring charges against a motorist, NJ.com reported Tuesday.
According to a press release issued two days after the September 4 crash by township police, 69-year-old Raymond Depalma was travelling eastbound on West Front Street when he was struck by a westbound vehicle attempting to make a left turn onto Harbor Green Circle.
Depalma was flown by helicopter to Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune, he died five hours after the 3 p.m. crash
The driver of the other vehicle, Daniella Coccurello, 23, of Lincroft, was not immediately charged, police said at the time.
But Joel DePalma, one of Robert DePalma’s four sons, told NJ.com that Coccurello was issued a summons for using a phone while driving. He also said it’s undisputed that his father was not violating any traffic laws.
DePalma tells NJ.com that he and other family members have been asking the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office whether criminal charges will be filed, but aren’t getting answers.
From the report:
“What’s taken so long? Why haven’t we heard the answers? How come they haven’t spoken to us yet,” DePalma questioned.
Prosecutor’s office spokesman Charles Webster said the incident is being thoroughly investigated, but could not release details because it’s an ongoing investigation. Webster said the prosecutor’s office has been in touch with the victim’s family.
“It’s been many months and a lot of events in those months and it’s been really hard to just be patient through all of this,” DePalma said.
Several family members have reached out to the prosecutor’s office numerous times in the four months since the crash, asking for an in person meeting or answers on if there will be charges, DePalma said. However, the prosecutor’s office has only responded approximately three times stating the investigation is ongoing, DePalma said.
“My family would certainly love criminal charges above anything else,” DePalma said. ”That would be paramount to anything from my family’s prospective. If nothing else, we would love to meet with the prosecutor before he announces that there is or is not [charges] just to hear it from his side why it failed, why there isn’t any charges.”
