SEASIDE HEIGHTS, NJ — A Seaside Park woman charged in a hit-and-run that left a Seaside Park man in critical condition told authorities she knew she had hit someone when they questioned her Monday night, according to court documents.
Genell A. Mcinaw, 50, had been drinking at three restaurants including Hooks Bar and Grill, where she had purchased four alcoholic drinks in a 36-minute span before she hit the man, Robert Popovics, on the Boulevard in front of Klee’s Bar and Grill, according to the probable cause affidavit filed in the case.
Mcinaw has been charged with knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in serious bodily injury to another person. She remained in the Ocean County Jail as of Thursday morning.
Find out what's happening in Toms Riverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Popovics, 75, the owner of Shady Rest Restaurant in Berkeley Township, remains in critical condition at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, his family said in a post on the restaurant’s Facebook page. Popovics also is a well-known saltwater fly fisherman and fly tyer whose “Pop Fleyes” set the standard for saltwater flies.
Mcinaw works at Shady Rest, according to her Facebook profile. The affidavit gives no indication she knew specifically that it was Popovics she had hit.
Find out what's happening in Toms Riverwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Popovics had just left Klee’s and was crossing the Boulevard when he was hit at 9:28 p.m., according to the affidavit. Police responded three minutes later and Popovics was flown to the hospital. A review of the security footage at Klee’s showed a gray sedan going south and hitting him, the affidavit said.
Police then looked at surveillance cameras in the area and found the gray sedan in the parking lot at Hooks, and a woman getting in and driving out of the parking lot two minutes before Popovics was hit, the affidavit said.
When police reviewed security footage inside the bar, they were able to identify Mcinaw, who was known to one of the investigating officers and to the bartenders, the affidavit said. The bar receipt at Hooks showed Mcinaw had ordered two beers and two “cherry bombs” between 8:40 p.m. and 9:16 p.m.
When police went to Mcinaw’s home in Seaside Park, they found the car with circular damage to the windshield on the driver’s side. When they spoke to Mcinaw, who works at Shady Rest according to her Facebook profile, she admitted knowing she’d hit someone.
“She started to say ‘I know …’ and Detective (Andy) Hartnett asked ‘Know what?’ ” the affidavit said. “Mcinaw uttered words to the effect of ‘I know I ran over someone.’ “
Mcinaw waived her Miranda rights and told detectives she had been at the Sawmill at 3 p.m. and had two beers, then went to Berkeley Cut and had two glasses of wine and a martini before going to Hooks.
She told detectives she was driving south on the boulevard when she saw a person in front of her car and hit him.
“She related that she stopped, did not get out of her vehicle, and proceeded home,” where she “was disheveled and went to sleep,” the affidavit said.
Click Here: Sweden soccer tracksuit
Her blood was drawn at Community Medical Center in Toms River under a court-authorized warrant about 12:30 a.m. Results of the blood draw have not yet been released.
“Bob is a proud Marine veteran, avid fly fisherman, and master fly tyer,” the message from his family said. “He is devoted to his family, friends, this restaurant, and to you, his customers. We are overwhelmed with the outpouring of love and support we have received, and ask that you continue to keep Bob, and his top notch medical team, in your prayers and good thoughts. We will continue to update on his condition as we can. We love you all.”
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.