A photo taken at 4:39 a.m. on Aug. 11. shortly after the vehicle struck the Broadwalk bollards. (Photo courtesy of Steven Sickles. Click to enlarge.)

By BRIAN DONOHUE

A 32-year old woman has been charged with multiple offenses after crashing her vehicle into the bollards that close off the Broad Street pedestrian plaza on August 11, fleeing the scene and later telling police her boyfriend had been driving, police said.

As a result of an investigation by Patrolman Darren McConnell, Tara McCoy, 32 of Hazlet was charged with leaving the scene, failure to report, reckless driving, careless driving, failure to keep right, failure to maintain lane, obstructing traffic, delaying traffic, failure to exhibit driver’s license, failure to exhibit insurance, and failure to change address after the bollard crash, according to Capt. Mike Frazee.

Frazee said McCoy initially denied driving the vehicle and stated that her boyfriend had been driving and fled the scene prior to police arrival. The investigative process led officers to canvass the area for surveillance video which later disproved McCoy’s earlier statement, he said.

“As a result of the crash, a follow-up inspection of the bollard was conducted and found that only 4 screws became stripped and needed to be drilled out and re-tapped,” Frazee said. “Thanks to our DPW, the repair cost was minimal at $13.50.”

It was the second significant hit to the two-foot-tall stainless steel barriers since the retractable metal bollards were installed in 2022 to keep traffic from entering the section of Broad Street between White and Front Street from May to September, when the area becomes a pedestrian only plaza. The bollards will be retracted and the area re-opened to traffic after Sept. 30.

Last August, a 31-year-old woman from Eatontown was arrested on the scene for DWI after crashing her jeep into the bollards.

redbankgreen editor Brian Donohue may be reached via email at [email protected] or by calling or texting 848-331-8331 or yelling his name loudly as he walks by. Do you value the news coverage provided by redbankgreen? Please become a financial supporter if you haven’t already. Click here to set your own level of monthly or annual contribution.

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