Hillsborough Man Indicted on Assault by Auto Charges

The son of a famous South Brunswick auto dealer has been indicted after running down a man in his pickup truck on St. Patrick's Day, Somerset County Prosecutor Geoffrey D. Soriano said.

Clint Benson, 21, of Hillsborough was indicted on charges of aggravated assault, assault by auto, endangering an injured victim, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and possession of hollow-point bullets after being arrested March 17 in Branchburg.

He is free on $100,000 bail, Soriano said.

Benson, the son of Brad Benson, a former New York Giant and owner of Brad Benson Hyundai in Monmouth Junction, struck a Flemington man with his pickup truck after an argument, Soriano said.

The Flemington man had confronted Benson about his driving while Benson sat in his pickup outside the Neshanic Inn on Woodfern Road at 2:59 a.m. March 17, Soriano said. After an argument, Benson accelerated and struck the Flemington man as he walked back to the bar, the prosecutor said.

The Flemington man was hospitalized with internal injuries, a fractured skull, a broken hand and lacerations, Soriano said.

Benson drove away after striking the Flemington man, Soriano said, but crashed the pickup into a guard rail at the intersection of Lehigh and Woodfern roads. Authorities said they found 50 .22-caliber hollow-point bullets when they searched the pickup.