A Manchester Township man already facing multiple charges in connection with a serious head-on crash in Toms River has now been charged with two additional counts of Assault by Auto after authorities determined he was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and controlled dangerous substances at the time of the collision.
Andrew Gajewski, 30, was charged Tuesday with two counts of Assault by Auto – Causing Serious Bodily Injury While Driving Impaired – stemming from a May 18 crash on Route 37 near Batchelor Street in Toms River.
Police responded to the scene at approximately 8:30 p.m. and found a 2022 Ford F-150 and a 2021 GMC Acadia that had been involved in a head-on collision. Investigators say Gajewski, the driver of the Ford, fled the scene on foot. The driver of the Acadia suffered serious injuries and was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center before being transferred to a rehabilitation facility. Two passengers involved in the crash were treated and released from local hospitals.
Authorities said Gajewski was located in a wooded area near the crash scene, where he allegedly resisted arrest and assaulted a Toms River Police K-9 before being taken into custody. Officers reportedly observed signs of intoxication, leading investigators to obtain a court-authorized blood sample.
The investigation determined that Gajewski was traveling on the wrong side of the roadway and had been speeding and driving recklessly shortly before the collision. He was initially charged with Leaving the Scene of a Motor Vehicle Crash Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, three counts of Assault by Auto, Resisting Arrest, Injuring an Animal Used by a Law Enforcement Agency, and multiple motor vehicle violations.
Prosecutors said laboratory results from Gajewski’s blood draw later revealed that he was under the influence of alcohol and other controlled dangerous substances and was unfit to operate a motor vehicle at the time of the crash. Based on those findings, the additional charges were filed.
Gajewski was taken into custody without incident at his residence on June 17 and transported to the Ocean County Jail, where he remains lodged pending a detention hearing.
