MANCHESTER – A Whiting man died Thursday following a head-on collision on County Route 539 in Ocean County, authorities said.
Danny R. Coleman, 77, was driving a 2024 Ford Maverick southbound when he suffered a medical emergency and crossed the centerline near mile marker 26.5, striking a 2016 Toyota Tacoma traveling northbound, Manchester Township Police reported.
Police said Coleman’s vehicle hit the rear driver’s side of the Toyota, then veered off the road and struck a tree before coming to rest in the woods. Coleman succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
The Toyota, driven by Jose Rodriguez-Morales, 55, of Levittown, Pa., overturned and came to rest on the northbound shoulder. Rodriguez-Morales sustained minor injuries and was taken to Community Medical Center. His passenger, 39-year-old Jesus Torres, also of Levittown, was uninjured. Both were wearing seatbelts.
The crash shut down the roadway for several hours. Emergency personnel from multiple agencies responded, including local firefighters, EMTs, Ocean County Sheriff’s officers, and the county road department.
Patrolman Conner Yatauro of the Manchester Township Police Traffic Safety Unit is leading the investigation, which remains ongoing. Police said a medical episode appears to be the primary contributing factor.
