Trio of accidents shuts down key roads

Mishaps cause traffic woes Wednesday morning.

By: Lea Kahn
   Traffic in Lawrence was snarled Wednesday morning after a series of accidents closed down portions of Route 1 and I-95 during the morning rush hour, according to the New Jersey State Police and the Lawrence Township Police Department.
   "Traffic was heavy because cars were diverted from Route 1," said Lawrence police Lt. Thomas Ritter. "The accident on I-95 caused people to get off and to go north on Princeton Pike or Lawrence Road (Route 206). People heard about the accidents and took a different route to get to work."
   The traffic tie-ups began at 3:02 a.m., when a United Parcel Service tractor-trailer truck struck a concrete barrier on Route 1 near Quakerbridge Road and flipped over, Lt. Ritter said.
   The UPS tractor-trailer truck, driven by Mitchell Kutchens, 47, of Toms River, slid along the concrete barrier and flipped onto the driver’s side, Lt. Ritter said. Mr. Kutchens suffered cuts and bruises to his head and arms.
   After Mr. Kutchens climbed out of the truck, a second tractor-trailer struck the UPS truck and pushed it along Route 1, ending up in West Windsor Township. The right lane of Route 1 was closed until about 8 a.m., Lt. Ritter said. The accident is still under investigation.
   A second accident, which occurred at 7:12 a.m. and involved five cars, tied up traffic on northbound I-95 between the Princeton Pike and Route 1 exits, said Capt. Al Dalle Fave of the New Jersey State Police.
   Four cars were waiting in line in the right-hand lane on I-95 when a 1993 Jeep Cherokee, driven by 25-year-old Anca Rusu of Ewing Township, struck the rear of the last car in line, Capt. Dalle Fave said.
   Ms. Rusu apparently did not see that the line of cars had stopped, he said. She struck the rear of an Oldsmobile Cutlass, which was pushed into the rear of a Honda Civic. The Honda Civic was forced into the left-hand lane, where it was struck by a Mitsubishi which then flipped over, he said.
   The driver of the fifth car, which was a Toyota Camry, saw the chain-reaction collision and swerved off the highway and down a slight embankment, Capt. Dalle Fave said, resulting in two flat tires.
   The drivers, all of whom were wearing seatbelts, suffered minor injuries, he said. Three drivers were taken to Capital Health Systems at Fuld Hospital, where they were treated and released, he said.
   Ms. Rusu was issued a summons for careless driving.
   The third accident occurred at 8:49 a.m. on Main Street, about 40 feet north of Cold Soil Road, when a northbound car driven by Eric Cvoliga, 24, of Greenwood Avenue in Hamilton Township crossed the centerline and struck a southbound car driven by 54-year-old Donna Garcia of Lake Drive, Lt. Ritter said.
   Mr. Cvoliga was not injured, but Ms. Garcia complained of pain in her back, Lt. Ritter said. She declined medical attention.
   Mr. Cvoliga was charged with failure to observe a traffic signal, for not stopping for a red light, crossing a double yellow line and failure to wear a seat belt, Lt. Ritter said.