Story by Ethan
On June 11th, 2025, the arrest of Abel Mathukutty, age 18, was announced by Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer. Abel Mathukutty was charged with leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash causing death, leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash causing serious bodily injury, vehicular homicide, and auto assault. The arrest and charges against Abel Mathukutty were a result of a joint-investigation involving the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad, Toms River Township Police Department, Seaside Park Police Department, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit.
According to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, on May 24th, 2025, at approximately 7:25 p.m., a motor vehicle that crashed into a utility pole was reported in the area of route 37 eastbound. Officers from the Toms River Township Police Department responded to the crash, finding a damaged white Mercedes sedan with two individuals inside of it. The victims were identified as Deborah Barone (the driver) of Toms River, age 59, and Michael Barone (the passenger) of Toms River, age 64. Both individuals sustained severe bodily injuries and were transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River, New Jersey. Deborah Barone passed away while being treated, and Michael Barone was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, New Jersey to be further cared for his injuries before being released.
Investigation into the incident revealed that an Infinity sedan had struck the white Mercedes sedan that Deborah and Michael Barone had been occupying. Allegedly the Infinity sedan had struck the Mercedes sedan on the driver’s side, causing the Mercedes sedan to crash into the utility pole. Descriptions of the vehicle in surrounding towns led to detectives determining the Infinity sedan fled eastwards across the Thomas A. Mathis Bridge. At approximately 8:00 p.m. officers from the Seaside Police Department executed a motor vehicle stop on a car that matched the description of the Infinity sedan at the scene of the crash.Officers noted that the car they stopped had sustained severe passenger side damage and that the airbags had been triggered. The driver was identified as Abel Mathukutty, who allegedly was the individual operating the vehicle at the time of the crash. It was discovered that the Abel Mathukutty was traveling at 76 miles per hour while the speed limit on Route 37 was 50 miles per hour. Abel Mathukutty was arrested without incident and transported to Ocean County Jail.
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office stated that the charges against Abel Mathukutty are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
