2022 News Release

State Police Charge Man in Fatal Hit-and-Run Crash

Woodbridge, N.J. - The New Jersey State Police have arrested Fornice Cary Boatner 3rd, 31, of Cleveland, TX in connection to a fatal hit-and-run accident on the Garden State Parkway that killed Felipe Dos-Santos, 31, of Elizabeth, N.J.

On May 25, troopers from the New Jersey State Police Holmdel Station responded to report of a body found in a ditch off the roadway northbound on the Garden State Parkway at milepost 130.4 in Woodbridge Township. Detectives from the Troop "D" Criminal Investigation Office, State Police Major Crime Unit, Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and Fatal Accident Investigation Unit, along with members of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Unit and Crime Scene Investigation Unit identified Felipe as the victim and began investigating the crash.

As a result, detectives determined that on May 22, at approximately 1:00 a.m., Felipe was walking northbound on the shoulder of the Garden State Parkway in the area of milepost 130.4, when he was struck by a vehicle that fled the scene after the crash and continued traveling north. During the crash, Felipe suffered fatal injuries.

Through various investigative means, detectives from the Troop "D" Criminal Investigation Office identified the suspect vehicle as a 2007 silver Dodge Ram with a temporary Texas license plate. Detectives developed Boatner as the suspect after discovering he was the owner of the vehicle and obtained information that he fled New Jersey to Cleveland, TX following the crash. In addition, detectives also discovered that Boatner was wanted out of Houston, TX in connection to another hit-and-run accident.

On May 28, members of the Houston Police Department, TX and Liberty County Sheriff's Office, TX located Boatner and his Dodge Ram in Cleveland, TX. A short time later, members of the Liberty County Sheriff's Office arrested Boatner at his residence. He was lodged in the Liberty County Jail.

During the on-going investigation, detectives from the Troop "D" Criminal Investigation Office, with assistance from the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, Liberty County Sheriff's Office, and Federal Bureau of Investigations - Houston Evidence Response Team, obtained evidence linking Boatner and his Dodge Ram to the crash. Detectives also determined that Boatner made repairs to the vehicle after the crash in an attempt to conceal the damage sustained.

As a result, Fornice Cary Boatner 3rd was charged with vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash causing death, hindering, obstruction, and tampering with evidence. On June 10, detectives extradited Boatner back to New Jersey where he was lodged in Middlesex County Correctional Facility pending a detention hearing.

The following agencies assisted with the investigation, Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, Middlesex County Medical Examiner's Office, Memphis Police Department, TN, Gwinnett County Police Department, GA, Houston Police Department, TX, Liberty County Sheriff's Office, Liberty County 75th District Attorney's Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations - Houston Evidence Response Team.

This case is being prosecuted by the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office.

Charges are mere accusations, and the accused is considered innocent until proven guilty.

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