Arrest made in fatal Toms River hit-and-run

An Island Heights man was arrested Wednesday in connection with the fatal hit-and-run that claimed the life of a Colts Neck man earlier this month on Rt. 37 in Toms River, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato and Toms River Police Chief Mitch Little announced.

"On March 18, 2015, the Ocean County Prosecutors Office and Toms River Police Department completed a joint investigation that culminated in the arrest of Mark Rothlein, 51, of Vansant Avenue in Island Heights for the March 6, 2015 hit and run that claimed the life of Jeffrey Michel of Colts Neck," according to a press release on the Toms Rover Police Department's Facebook page.

Earlier this week, authorities released a description of a vehicle that was suspected to be involved in the accident that killed the Brookdale Community College student. In addition, a small piece of the vehicle was found at the accident scene and upon further investigation, investigators determined that it came from a Blue Jeep Wrangler manufactured between 2013 and 2015.

"On March 18, 2015 at 1:20 p.m., that information would lead to the arrest of Rothlein at his Island Heights home by Ocean County Prosecutors Detective Mike Proto and Toms River Traffic Safety Officer Ken Thomas," the press release stated.

According to police, the suspect has been charged with leaving the scene of an motor vehicle crash resulting in death. Rothlein is being held on $100,000 bail and the blue, 2013 Jeep Wrangler that is registered to his wife, was impounded by the Ocean County Sheriff's Department CSI unit for processing.