Two fatalities in Rt. 18 accident
EATONTOWN — Two persons were killed in a fiery collision of two cars on Route 18 when one of the vehicles, which was southbound on the highway, crossed over into the northbound lanes at 1:04 p.m. on Saturday.
The driver of a van which also was struck by the car going south in the northbound lanes was injured.
The identities of the dead and injured had not been released as of press time.
Detective Mark McGowan of the borough Police Department said the chain of events began when a 1988 gray Chevrolet Corsica that was traveling south on the highway struck the guard rail on the right, then veered to the left, across the southbound lanes of traffic, into the median and through the bushes there. McGowan said the Corsica continued to travel southbound on the northbound side of the median, then entered the northbound lanes of traffic and collided with a black Ford van with a female driver from North Jersey. The collision of those two vehicles caused the van to roll over, and the van wound up in the bushes in the median between the northbound and southbound lanes.
The woman driver of the van was injured and taken to Jersey Shore Medical Center, Neptune, where she was kept for two days before being released Monday, the detective said.
McGowan said the Corsica continued traveling southbound in the northbound lanes, then made an abrupt left turn, making it head almost in an easterly direction in the northbound lanes. The Corsica was then broadsided by a red 1987 Toyota Tercel Wagon and both vehicles burst into flames.
"When those two vehicles collided, they basically blew up," he said.
McGowan said the northbound lanes of Route 18 were closed after the accident for about six hours.
— Sherry Conohan