Crime & Safety

Pedestrian and Dog Struck Crossing Street

Toms River man and his pug dog sustained minor injuries in the Sunday afternoon incident

This article originally misidentified the driver and victim and has been updated to reflect a correction from Toms River Police.

A 43 year-old pedestrian and the dog he was walking were struck crossing Southampton Road on Sunday afternoon, suffering minor injuries, police said.

Toms River Police Chief Michael Mastronardy said Richard Sciallabba Jr., 43 of Toms River, was crossing Southampton Road near River Terrace in the Silver Ridge section of the Township when he was struck by a car at 2:30 p.m. Sunday.  

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Mastronardy said the driver, a Berkeley Township man, said he did not see him as he crossed the residential road.

Joel Frederick, 94, of Jamaica Blvd, Holiday City, reported he never saw the man or his dog and was issued a summons for careless driving, said Mastronardy in an email.

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Traffic Safety Officer Corporal Frank Palino is investigating.

Both Sciallabba Jr. and his pug dog received minor injuries, the police chief said.

"He essentially saved the dog's life," Mastronardy said, adding the pug's name is Milo and that Sciallabba shielded him from the crash so as to not be run over.


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