TOMS RIVER — The 17-year-old who was struck and struck and killed early Sunday morning on Route 37 has been identified as a sophomore at Central Regional High School and one of four children in his family.

Schools superintendent Tom Parlapanides identified the teen to New Jersey 101.5 as Silverio Montes-Ponce, a "great young man" who was a member of the school's spirit club. He lived in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township, according to Toms River police spokeswoman Jillian Messina.

Messina said Montes-Ponce was leaving work just after 3 a.m. when he tried to cross the highway in the eastbound lanes just beyond the intersection with Route 166. He was struck by a vehicle driven by 46-year-old Mark Roma, a township resident.

Messina said Roma did not appear to be impaired and speed was not a factor in the crash.

Witnesses told officers that the teen was wearing dark-colored clothing when he entered the road about 60 feet from a crosswalk while a "no pedestrian" crossing signal was lit up, according to Messina.

Montes-Ponce was a "hard-working young man" who had a job after school and enjoyed working out in the school's weight room, Parlapanides said. He has a younger brother at Central Regional Middle School and two sisters in the high school, according to Parlapanides.

The superintendent said that part of the school's crisis team response to Montes-Ponce's death was to was have a guidance counselor follow the boy's school schedule. Staff also made contact with his friends and teachers to make sure they were aware of counseling services.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ

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