Ocean man pleads guilty to hit-and-run fatality Timothy Napolitano, 30, faces 5 years behind bars for 2007 incident OCEAN TOWNSHIP - A township man is facing five years behind bars after he pleaded guilty to a hit-and-run last year that resulted in the death of an 84- year-old woman. On April 21, Timothy Napolitano Jr., 30, of Ocean Township, pleaded guilty to the third-degree crimes of leaving the scene of a fatality and possession of a controlled dangerous substance with intent to distribute in a school zone. The guilty pleas were entered before state Superior Court Judge Anthony J. Mellaci Jr. in Freehold. Napolitano is scheduled to be sentenced July 18. Pursuant to the terms of Napolitano's plea agreement, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office will recommend that Mellaci sentence Napolitano to concurrent five-year state prison terms on the two counts, according to a press release from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. The investigation in this case was conducted by the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and the Ocean Township Police Department with assistance from the Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team (SCART). The investigation revealed that on Feb. 9, 2007, Napolitano was driving his 1997 Chrysler Cirrus west on Sunset Avenue toward Route 35 in Ocean Township. His vehicle struck a pedestrian, Helen Gilman, 84, of Ocean Township, who was crossing the street after having left the Sunset Diner located on the north side of the street. The impact severely damaged the front windshield of Napolitano's vehicle and left Gilman lying on Sunset Avenue, seriously injured and unconscious. Without ever having regained consciousness, Gilman succumbed to the injuries on Feb. 17, authorities said. Napolitano drove from the scene to his parents' home, where he also resides, and he then hid the vehicle in the garage, authorities said. On Feb. 22, investigators were able to locate and recover evidence connecting Napolitano's car to Gilman before Napolitano was able to follow through on his plan to have it destroyed, authorities said.D uring the investigation, police also located marijuana, oxycodone and cocaine together with a scale and other indicia of distribution. Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin said, "Napolitano callously fled the scene of this fatal collision completely indifferent to the well-being of the innocent victim. "His only interest was in avoiding responsibility for his own actions. The state prison sentence contemplated by this plea agreement ensures that Napolitano will be held accountable," he said. Napolitano is being held at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, Freehold Township, in lieu of $10,000 bail.