Prosecutors Seek Five-Year Prison Term After 2024 Crash Killed 75-Year-Old Pedestrian In Seaside Heights

Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 7:30 A.M. ET. 3 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,

SEASIDE HEIGHTS, NJ.- A Seaside Park woman has admitted responsibility in a fatal hit-and-run that claimed the life of a 75-year-old man, Ocean County prosecutors announced Monday.

     Ocean County First Assistant Prosecutor Michael T. Nolan, Jr., confirmed that on March 16, 2026, Genell McInaw, 51, pled guilty before Superior Court Judge Kenneth T. Palmer, J.S.C., to Vehicular Homicide in connection with a September 23, 2024, crash that resulted in the death of Robert Popovics, 75, also of Seaside Park, New Jersey.

     Under the plea agreement, prosecutors will seek a sentence of five years in New Jersey State Prison at McInaw’s scheduled sentencing on June 26, 2026. The sentence would be subject to the state’s No Early Release Act (NERA), requiring that 85 percent of the term be served before eligibility for parole.

Crash And Initial Response;

     According to authorities, the incident occurred at approximately 9:30 p.m. on September 23, 2024, near the intersection of Dupont Avenue and Boulevard in Seaside Heights. Officers responding to reports of a man lying in the roadway discovered Popovics unconscious with severe injuries.

     Emergency responders transported Popovics to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, New Jersey, for treatment.

     Investigators later determined that a dark-colored sedan traveling southbound on the Boulevard struck Popovics and fled the scene without stopping.

Investigation And Arrest;

     A joint investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit–Vehicular Homicide Squad, the Seaside Heights Police Department, and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit identified McInaw as the driver of the vehicle involved in the crash.

     Detectives took McInaw into custody at her residence without incident. She was initially charged with knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in serious bodily injury.

     Authorities transported McInaw to Community Medical Center in Toms River, where her blood was drawn pursuant to a court-authorized warrant. She was later lodged in the Ocean County Jail and subsequently released under New Jersey’s bail reform guidelines.

Victim’s Death And Upgraded Charges;

     On November 1, 2024, more than five weeks after the crash, Popovics died from injuries sustained in the incident. He was pronounced deceased at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

     Following his death, and based on toxicology results, prosecutors upgraded the charges against McInaw to include Vehicular Homicide, Strict Liability Vehicular Homicide, and knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash resulting in death.

     Laboratory analysis revealed that McInaw’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was 0.187 at the time of the blood draw. A state-retained expert later estimated that her BAC at the time of the crash was approximately 0.21, more than two-and-a-half times New Jersey’s legal limit of 0.08.

Surrender And Court Proceedings;

     McInaw formally surrendered to Seaside Heights Police on November 4, 2024, in the presence of her attorney. She was processed and released again under the bail reform provisions.

     Her guilty plea resolves the most serious charge in the case and sets the stage for sentencing later this year.

     If the court imposes the recommended sentence, McInaw would be required to serve the majority of the five-year term before becoming eligible for parole under NERA guidelines. 

Editor’s Note:

This report was written by Art Fletcher and is based on official statements released by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and supporting law enforcement agencies. All charges and proceedings referenced are matters of public record. Sentencing determinations remain at the discretion of the court.