Little Egg Harbor man pleads guilty to DUI and leaving scene of accident that injured Beach Haven man – wobm.com
A Little Egg Harbor Township man who was released from custody because of New Jersey’s Bail Reform Law after he assaulted a police officer ended up driving drunk and injuring a Beach Haven man riding a bicycle in Long Beach Township four days later, has now plead guilty.
It’s a cautionary tale with chilling details of the hit-and-run bike crash in Beach Haven plus the assault in Little Egg Harbor, released by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
We go back in time to April 4, 2020.
It was then that the now 43-year-old John Madden — (unknown if there’s any relation) — was arrested after the manager of a store witnessed him shoplifting and confronted him, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer.
Little Egg Harbor Police arrived on scene at the store on Mathis Town Road and spoke to the manager — who also asked an off-duty New Jersey State Park Police Officer for assistance prior to LEHPD arrival — and then to Madden about the incident.
Credit: Little Egg Harbor Township Police Department Facebook Page
As the off-duty officer tried to detain Madden, Prosecutor Billhimer said Madden then pushed the officer to try and get away but was not able to do so.
Little Egg Harbor Police arrived, arrested Madden, and brought him to the Ocean County Jail, but, again, he was later released because of New Jersey’s Bail Reform Law.
Four days later, in Long Beach Township, police responded to Long Beach Boulevard for a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a Beach Haven man.
Bicycle
Long Beach Police along with the OCPO, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office CSI-Unit learned that 63-year-old Daniel Bogacz was riding his bike northbound on Long Beach Boulevard when he was hit by a 2020 Jeep Liberty heading in the same direction.
The driver kept on going making a u-turn in the process and going back in the direction he came from.
Bogacz was later air-lifted to Atlantic City Medical Center, treated for his injuries and then eventually released from care, according to Prosecutor Billhimer.
Ocean County Prosecutors Office. (Vin Ebenau, Townsquare Media NJ)
As the investigation unfolded, law enforcement learned that the driver was Madden who was arrested on that same date as the accident on April 8, 2020.
There was a blood sample taken when he was brought to Southern Ocean Medical Center in Stafford Township following a court-authorized warrant.
Madden was then brought to the Ocean County Jail, and released, again, Prosecutor Billhimer said, because of New Jersey’s Bail Reform Law.
Prosecutor Billhimer said that the blood results showed Madden’s BAC was .245 percent at the time he hit Bogacz.
Flash forward to Monday, Madden pled guilty to Knowingly Leaving the Scene of a Motor Vehicle Accident Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury and Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol for this incident and pled guilty to an unrelated charge of Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer for the shoplifting and attack on the officer four days prior to the bike crash.
Photo: Shawn Michaels
Prosecutor Billhimer said that the State is seeking a term of three years in New Jersey State Prison for Madden Knowingly Leaving the Scene of a Motor Vehicle Accident charge, and 18 months for the Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer and the sentences will run concurrently.