MANCHESTER – A Toms River woman is in serious condition after a two-car crash that left both drivers trapped in their vehicles yesterday, closing the road for several hours.
On June 11 at approximately 4:38 p.m., Manchester officers responded to the area of Manchester Boulevard and Route 70 for a report of a multi-vehicle crash.
An investigation found that 43-year-old Pamela Fano of Toms River was traveling southbound on Manchester Boulevard in a 2017 Honda Civic when she crossed the double yellow line, colliding with a 1997 Chevy pick-up. The Honda struck the Chevy, driven by 22-year-old Tyler Busch of Manchester, head-on in the northbound lane, police said.
Once on the scene, officers observed the Honda straddling the center line of Manchester Boulevard with heavy front end damage. The Chevy truck, which had been towing an enclosed trailer, sustained extensive front end damage and the trailer was jackknifed across the roadway blocking both the northbound and southbound lanes.
According to police, Fano was found semi-conscious and entrapped in her vehicle due to damage from the accident. Members of the Whiting Volunteer Fire Department extricated her from the vehicle. Fano sustained a severe knee injury and a head laceration during the crash and was later air lifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for treatment, where she remains in serious but stable condition.
Busch was also trapped inside his vehicle due to damage sustained in the crash. Although he complained of leg pain, he refused medical attention at the scene.
Police report that both drivers claimed to be wearing their safety belts at the time of the crash and there were no other occupants in the vehicles.
The road was shut down for several hours while officers responded to the crash. Assisting at the scene were EMTs from Quality Medical Transport, paramedics from MONOC, and members of the Whiting Volunteer Fire Department. An investigation is being conducted by Patrolman Jesse Hoydis and Sergeant Antonio Ellis of the department’s Traffic Safety Unit.