Lacey Teen Charged With DWI After Hit and Run Accident

An 18-year-old township man is facing hit and run, and drunk driving charges after police say he struck a parked car with his vehicle, fled the scene and then nearly hit a special police officer's patrol car.

Gregory J. Fenton, of Dugout Drive in the township's Lanoka Harbor section, was arrested Aug. 16 a 12:52 a.m. after Special Officer Travis Horton spotted a vehicle failing to stop at a stop sign at the intersection of Lake Barnegat Drive North onto Haines Street. The vehicle, later determined to be Fenton's, continued eastbound Haines Street, eventually traveling opposite traffic in the wrong lane, Lacey Police said in a prepared statement.

Horton had to swerve to avoid the vehicle, the statement said.

Horton stopped the vehicle in the parking lot of Walmart, where he noticed fresh accident damage, the statement said. An investigation determined that Fenton's vehicle had struck a parked car on Adolphus Street in Forked River earlier without stopping, police said.

Fenton failed a field sobriety test at the scene, the statement said, and police also recovered a white, powdery substance and a pen tube commonly used for inhaling drugs from the vehicle.

Fenton was brought to police headquarters where he was later released. In addition to the hit and run and DWI charges, he faces charges of possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was also issued motor vehicle summonses for underage DUI, possession of drugs in a motor vehicle, failure to stop, reckless driving, failure to maintain lane, failure to exhibit registration, failure to exhibit a valid insurance card, and a probationary license holder violation for driving after hours, police said.