Hundreds Dine At Surf Taco in Support of Fallen Officer's Family

Surf Taco’s throughout Ocean and Monmouth Counties pitched in to help the family of a fallen police officer, killed by an alleged drunk driver on Thanksgiving.

On Nov. 25, was driving home on the Garden State Parkway after finishing a shift at a drunk driving checkpoint when he was rear-ended by a drunk driver, struck a guardrail, and overturned, State Police said. Marles, a nine-year veteran of the police force, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Marles, 32, of Point Pleasant Beach, is survived by his wife Ginny, as well as two children: daughter Taryn, age 5, and son Landon, age 4.

Toms River resident Joseph Humenik, who is a social studies teacher at Lacey Township High School, coordinated the Feb. 2 event. Humenik knew Marles personally as they grew up playing soccer and surfing together.

All Surf Taco locations were busy for lunch, Humenik said.

“It’s just a great turn out for Jason and his family. We all miss Jason and we’re glad that the family will prosper from this,” Frank Scheldrick, a relative of Jason’s wife said. “He was a great guy.”

Twenty percent of every purchase at Surf Taco went to the family. Customers had to have the fundraiser’s flyer with them in order for a portion of their purchase to go towards the family.

Liz Barger knew Marles from work. She worked in the tax office while he worked at the police station. Marles used to bring his daughters into the office. “He was all about his children,” Barger said.

Dozens of people went to the Lacey Surf Taco between 5 and 6 p.m. including relatives, friends, and strangers to Marles’ family. Flyers had been distributed throughout the Lacey Township High School, Sherriff’s Office, Facebook, and more.

“We would just have a good time. He was always a positive personality and he was just a good guy. It’s just a shame what happened to him,” Mike Tuorto, a friend of Marles’ said. Tuorto works at the Sherriff’s Department but knew Marles growing up as they went to Central Regional High School in Berkeley Township together.

Former freshman soccer coach at Central Regional, John Budenas, attended the fundraiser. Budenas coached Marles for a brief period until he moved onto varsity as a freshman.

“I remember Jason as just a hard working, totally likeable young man. He was a tremendous asset to the soccer program,” Budenas said. “He just demonstrated that potential and enthusiasm and motivation right from the get go. He just went on to become a very successful soccer player. He was a great young man.”

According to General Manager of the Lacey branch of Surf Taco Casey Tormollan they had a couple hundred of customers, which is twice as much as usual.

Because the Surf Taco in Lacey is not used to that high a volume of customers, a lot of preparation went into the event, Tormollan said

“We’re more than willing because it’s for a good cause,” Tormollan said. Tormollan knew Marles personally as well as they grew up surfing together.

Surf Taco will not have an estimation of how much money was raised for the family for a few days, Tormollan said.