Hit and Run Driver Had Cocaine and Alcohol In Her System When Arrested

Toni Ann Marletta, the 50 year old women accused of killing Marissa Procopio, 15, of Atlantic Highlands, in a hit and run incident on Route 36 in Leonardo last July, had cocaine and alcohol in her system at the time of her arrest.

Danielle Procopio, Marissa’s mother, said that investigators from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office and the Middletown Police Department shared the results of a toxicology report with her prior to Marletta’s indictment for leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in a death, endangering the welfare of a child and other charges.

In an interview with MMM, Danielle said she is frustrated that Marletta is not being charged with vehicular manslaughter.

Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni and Deputy Chief Steve Dollinger of the Middletown Police Department confirmed that a meeting took place with Danielle and other family members at the conclusion of the investigation. Gramiccioni declined to make “extra judicial” comments on the facts of the case. “The evidence will come out in Court,” Gramiccioni said.

Danielle said in an interview with MoreMonmouthMusings that the investigators and told her and other family members that the toxicology report did not prove that Marletta had cocaine and alcohol in her system at the time she ran down Marissa.  Marletta was located and identified as the driver of the car that struck Marissa hours after the incident.

Gramiccioni said there are insufficient proofs for a vehicular manslaughter charge.

Danielle said that Marletta is being rewarded for leaving the scene. She believes Marletta had a criminal reason for fleeing the scene.

Michael Quan, Marissa’s father, told MMM that the meeting with investigators was “the biggest slap in the face. No one is being held responsible for the death of my daughter.”

Quan said that he wants to see the law changed to increase the penalty for leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in a death. “No matter what, someone who leaves the scene should do hard time,” he said.

Both Danielle and Quan expressed their frustration that the most serious charges against Marletta carry sentences of five to ten years, but there is no provision for a minimum amount of time served under the sentence.  “There is no guarantee about how long she will sit,” Danielle said of Marletta.

Marletta’s next court appearance is her arraignment on June 20 in Judge Ronald Lee Reisner’s courtroom.