ASBURY PARK — Fueled by a child custody dispute, a recently divorced Neptune Township police officer shot and killed his former wife in broad daylight on Tuesday in front of their daughter on an Asbury Park street, authorities said.

Phillip Seidle, 51, a 22-year veteran with the Neptune Township Police Department, was charged with murder in the shooting death of his ex-wife Tamara Seidle on Sewall Avenue, said First Assistant Monmouth County Prosecutor Marc LeMieux

Seidle, a sergeant with the police department, was arrested after he fired several shots into his ex-wife's car after a short chase through Asbury Park.

Tamara Seidle (Facebook)

At around 11:30 a.m., Asbury Park police officers responded to an unrelated car crash at Sewall and Ridge avenues, LeMieux said. Officers on scene then saw a 2012 black Volkswagen Jetta being driven by Tamara Seidle turn onto Sewall Avenue. Behind it, LeMieux said, was Phillip Seidle in a 2005 Honda Pilot.

The couple's 7-year-old daughter was in Phillip Seidle's passenger seat, he said.

Tamara Seidle crashed her Jetta into an unoccupied green Ford Focus, LeMieux said. At that time, LeMieux said, Phillip Seidle got out of his car, took out his .40- caliber Glock service handgun and fired "several" shots into Tamara's Seidle's car.

Phillip Seidle then put the gun to his head and started pacing around the area of Tamara Seidle's Jetta, LeMieux said.

LeMieux said officers were able to talk Phillip Seidle into handing over the couple's daughter. Once the daughter was in police custody, Phillip Seidle then fired more shots at Tamara Seidle through her front windshield, he said.

Neighbors who witnessed the shooting said Phillip Seidle crashed his car into the back of his ex-wife's car before jumping out and getting in a brief argument with her.

Several times during the standoff, Phillip Seidle complained to police about not being able to see his children as much as he wanted, the neighbors said.

"He said, "You guys don't understand. I'm tired of paying alimony. I don't get to see my children,'" said the witness, who asked not to be identified.

Sgt. Phil Seidle

During the standoff, Phillip Seidle held the gun to his head with his right hand while talking to someone on a cellphone he was holding in his left hand, the witness said.

The standoff came to an end after police officers, on one side of Sewall Avenue, slid a small black box about the size of an individual cupcake box to Seidle, who was standing on the other side of the street, the witness said.

After looking at the object, he raised his arms over his head and walked out into the street to surrender, the witness said. The witness said police officers surrounded Seidle, who was "bawling his eyes out." While taking him into custody, some of the officers hugged him and patted him comfortingly on the back, the witness said.

Neighbors said Phillip Seidle was known to residents in the area, which is on the border of Neptune Township, because he worked security at a Neptune business.

Officers were able to arrest Phillip Seidle shortly before noon, LeMieux said. He was brought to a satellite office of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office in Asbury Park.

LeMieux said Phillip Seidle was known to the officers on scene. When asked why officers didn't use force against Seidle while he fired off a second round of shots in police presence, LeMiuex said that's "under investigation at this point in time."

Phillip Seidle was charged with first-degree murder, possession of a weapon of unlawful purpose and endangering the welfare of a child.

The couple's divorce was final on May 27, LeMieux said. The couple was having issues over their children and Phillip Seidle wanted to speak with his ex-wife about being able to talk with his children more often, LeMieux said.

LeMieux said Tamara Seidle had custody over their nine children, who range in age from 7 to 24. Neighbors said two of the children had recently graduated from school.

"Our hearts and prayers go out to the Seidle children and to the family of Tamara Seidle," LeMieux, speaking at a press conference, said. "The police department is concerned for the well-being of the entire Seidle family in this difficult time."

He said the Neptune Police Department is committed to providing support and assistance to the Seidle family.

Tamara Seidle owned a house on Heritage Court in Neptune, property records show.

One neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said Seidle and his wife had been estranged for at least a year.

"She was a nice person," the neighbor said. "She loved her children. She always wanted to be a mother and she worked hard for them."

Phillip Seidle recently received a Monmouth County 200 Club valor award for being one of 13 officers who helped secure eight arrests in an October 2014 armed robbery in town.

Phillip Seidle is being held at the Monmouth County Correctional Facility in Freehold Township on $2 million bail with no 10 percent option. If convicted of murder, he is facing a minimum sentence of 30 years in a New Jersey state prison without parole and a maximum sentence of life in prison.

MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.