MANCHESTER – A 66-year-old woman was injured after a vehicle slammed into her home Friday afternoon, according to Manchester Township Police.
Authorities said officers responded around 3:50 p.m. and found a 2011 Toyota Highlander with major front-end damage that had struck the residence in SilverWoods. The impact caused significant structural damage, and the driver and passenger had to be extricated by first responders.
Investigators determined that the driver, identified as 63-year-old Steven Makowsky of Manchester, accidentally accelerated while attempting to park, hitting a tree before crashing into the home. Inside the residence, homeowner Rosemarie Sherman was thrown across her living room while lying on her couch.
Sherman was rescued by emergency crews and taken to Community Medical Center in Toms River with injuries that were not considered life-threatening. Makowsky and his passenger, 67-year-old Joan Thompson, also of Manchester, were not injured.
Personnel from Manchester Township’s Division of Emergency Services, Manchester Township Volunteer Fire Department, Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Department, Lakehurst Volunteer Fire Department, the township’s building inspector, and Priced Rite Towing assisted at the scene.
Police said the crash remains under investigation, but improper parking and pedal misapplication appear to be the main causes. The investigation is being handled by Ptl. Brendan Brush of the department’s Traffic Safety Unit.
