Asbury park man injured in car crash in Long Branch

Tarik M. Cox, 23, Asbury Park, was charged with driving while intoxicated after he collided with a police car at the intersection of 3rd Avenue and Franklin Avenue early Saturday morning, police said.

At about 3:30 a.m. Saturday, officers were dispatched to Jersey Pride Food Store on 3rd Avenue for a reported assault, Lt. Craig Spencer said. The first officer at the scene saw a car leaving the parking lot, described the vehicle to other officers, and spoke to the victim.

Cox, who was also the accused in the assault, swerved his car and struck a patrol car driven by Officer Richard O’Brien, Spencer said.

Both cars suffered “horrific” front end damage as a result of the crash, Spencer said. Because of the damage, Cox and the three other people in his car had to be extricated as well as Officer O’Brien from the patrol car.

The names of the passengers in Cox’s car who were injured are unavailable at this time, Spencer said.

Cox and one of the passengers were taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune to be treated for their injuries.

O’Brien and two of the passengers in Cox’s car were taken to Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch to be treated for their injuries. O’Brien was treated and released, Spencer said.

Cox was charged with driving while intoxicated and driving with a suspended license, Spencer said. There are no criminal charges against Cox at this time, but there could be at a later date.

The incident remains under investigation.