BRICK – Township police responded to a head-on collision on Route 70 resulting in injury by those in the vehicles involved.
The collision occurred around 5:30 a.m. on Feb. 3 on Route 70 eastbound between Brick Boulevard and the Interchange with Route 88. An investigation revealed that a 2018 black Audi A6, operated by Mark Ferrell, 35, of Toms River, was driving westbound on Route 70 on the opposite (eastbound) side of the divided highway.
This resulted in a head-on crash with a 2020 blue Volvo XC4, driven by Mark Valle, 28, Brick. The impact caused Valle’s vehicle to rotate and crash into a 2004 black GMC Sierra operated by Patrick McElroy, 56, Toms River.
All three drivers were transported to the hospital (Ferrell to Jersey Shore, Valle and McElroy to Ocean Medical) for non-life-threatening injuries. Ferrell had to be extricated from his vehicle by members of Breton Woods, Pioneer Hose and Laurelton Fire companies who responded to the scene.
Members of the Brick Police EMS unit treated the victims at the scene prior to their being transported to a hospital.
The accident caused the eastbound section of Route 70 to be closed for several hours. It has since been reopened.
Police are investigating a possible connection to a separate, earlier hit-and-run crash which occurred on Route 70 westbound in the area of the Home Depot in which minor injuries were reported.
Both crashes are being investigated by Sgt. Keith Donnelly and Ptl. Jay Lampiasi of the Brick Township Traffic Safety Unit. Anyone who may have witnessed either crash is asked to contact Sgt. Donnelly or Lampiasi at 732-262-1140.
