MANCHESTER – A Pennsylvania man who fled the scene of a three-car car accident has now been arrested, police said.
The crash happened around 6 p.m. on February 13 at the intersection of Route 70 and Colonial Drive.
According to police, Roy Deronde Jr. of Kingston, PA, was speeding down State Highway 70 on the westbound shoulder when he ran the red light. He went into the intersection hitting a Jeep Cherokee and a Mercedes Benz. His car crashed into a utility pole and went up in flames.
Both Deronde and the passenger, Fannie Kistner of Kingston, PA, fled the scene on foot. Kistner was later found and was transported to Community Medical Center for treatment.
The driver and passenger of the Mercedes Benz, identified as Richard and Cathy Kulaszewski, from Toms River. The driver of the Jeep Cherokee was identified as Grace Poli of Manchester.
Around 5:18 p.m. Sunday, the Manchester Police Department received a tip from Manchester EMS stating they saw a male fitting the description of the suspect, Roy Deronde.
Manchester EMS reported that they witnessed a man near their headquarters cross Colonial Drive and jump the fence into Leisure Village West community. Police later received several calls from residents in that community reporting a man fitting the description who had been knocking on their doors and asking them to call a taxi.
Police arrived on scene and determined that Deronde was in the area between Huntington Drive, State Highway 37 West, Colonial Drive and Buckingham Drive.
A perimeter was created using all available manpower, police said.
Officers were able to track several sets of footprints in the snow while the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department K9 units were dispatched. The Toms River Police Department provided additional support units to assist with securing the perimeter as well.
Police later discovered that Deronde received a ride from within the Leisure Village West Community and traveled to the area of Leisure Village East, in Lakewood. Officers arrested him at a home in that community without incident.
Deronde was charged with Assault by Auto, Eluding, Leaving the Scene of a crash resulting in injury, Hindering Apprehension and Obstruction of Justice.
Assisting at the scene were EMTs from the Manchester Township Division of Emergency Services, volunteer firefighters from Manchester Volunteer Fire Company and Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company, New Jersey Central Power and Light, Ocean County Sheriff’s Department, Lakehurst Police Department, the New Jersey State Police Aviation Unit.
The investigation into the crash is still ongoing, but at this point the disregard of a traffic control device and a high rate of speed is the contributing cause of the accident.
