Authorities are looking into whether it was an altercation with hospital guards that caused the death of a New Jersey man Sunday.
Relatives say 43-year-old Darnell Myres went to Community Medical Center in Toms River early Thursday to get stitches in his lip after a fight with his girlfriend.
Toms River Police say he had an altercation with hospital guards -- and was taken to Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch that night.
Police have not released details of the fight, but Monday morning, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office withdrew from the case, handing it to Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office.
Prosecutor Marlene Lynch Ford said she did so because she has an immediate family member employed as a physician at Community
Medical Center. State Attorney General Paula Dow approved the transfer.
"Although my family member had no contact with Mr. Myres or had any involvement in this incident, that fact that he is employed by
Local
Community Medical Center could (compromise) the appearance of impartiality with regard to any investigation conducted by my office,'' Ford said.
"This is a tragic event which requires and should receive a thorough, exhaustive and impartial investigation into the facts of the events leading up to the death of Darnell Myres,'' she added.
The Manchester man died Sunday.
He won state high school wrestling championships for Toms River High School South in 1984 and Central Regional High in Berkeley in 1985.
