Indictment: Lavallette Man Was on Xanax, Cocaine, Fentanyl During Fatal Accident

Brian Kosanke (Photo: Ocean County Jail)

An Ocean County grand jury this week handed up an indictment against Brian Kosanke, 39, of Lavallette, who is charged in the death of an 80-year-old pedestrian.

On the evening of Oct. 19, 2019, Lavallette Police were called to Route 35 North and Guyer Avenue for a report of a pedestrian with serious injuries having been struck by a motor vehicle. Officers discovered Thomas Castronovo, 80, of Warren, had been struck by a vehicle operated Kosanke.  Castronovo was administered lifesaving procedures by first responders and transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River, where he ultimately succumbed to his injuries, prosecutors said.

Kosanke submitted to a blood test following the accident, which showed he was under the influence of Xanax, cocaine, fentanyl and gabapentin when he struck Castronovo, prosecutors said in a statement.

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A warrant was issued for Kosanke’s arrest, and he was apprehended on Nov. 7, 2019.  During the course of this arrest, officers allegedly found a quantity of Xanax on his person packaged for distribution. Detectives also determined through surveillance camera footage that prior to police arriving at the accident scene, Kosanke removed something from his vehicle.  A further investigation revealed that Kosanke had taken an amount of heroin from his vehicle and hid it on the side of the road, police said. Koasnke then retrieved the heroin after he was released from the hospital, it is alleged.

Kosanke was indicted Wednesday on charges of vehicular homicide, possession with intent to distribute Xanax, simple possession and hindering apprehension. He is also charged with DWI.

Kosanke is currently lodged in the Ocean County Jail pending his arraignment