After 25 days in critical condition, a 76-year-old woman dies.
By: Joseph Harvie
A 76-year-old Old Bridge resident injured in a March 15 traffic accident died Friday after spending 25 days in critical condition at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, police said.
Police said Mildred Burlew was suffering from chest and internal injuries that she received in the same accident that took the life of her best friend of 50 years, Dorothy Davino, 71, of Matawan.
Police said Ms. Davino, was pronounced dead at 11:25 a.m. March 15 in the emergency room at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick.
According to police, the accident occurred when Ms. Burlew, who was traveling west on Route 32 in a 2001 gold Dodge Stratus, tried to make an illegal left turn onto Route 535 where the two roads intersect.
Police said Ms. Burlew should have traveled through the intersection and used a jughandle to make the turn, rather than cutting across two lanes of traffic.
Police said Ms. Burlew told police that she and Ms. Davino were traveling to a warehouse sale at the Lenox warehouse on Route 535.
Police said Ms. Burlew’s car was hit by a 2003 black Volvo S40 driven by Alan Fishbein, 47, of North Wales, Pa., who was traveling east on Route 32.
The Volvo struck Ms. Burlew’s vehicle on the front passenger-side, where Ms. Davino was sitting, police said.
The car was pushed across the road and into a 2005 Sterling tractor-trailer driven by Walter Anderson, 56. Mr. Anderson’s vehicle was stopped at the light and heading north on Route 535, police said.
Ms. Davino was trapped in the vehicle and was removed by the Monmouth Junction Fire Department, police said. Ms. Davino and Ms. Burlew were rushed to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital by the Monmouth Junction First Aid Squad.
Police said both women were wearing their seat belts.
Mr. Fishbein and Mr. Anderson refused medical attention at the scene.