Accident occurred near Pennington Tuesday when rain was falling and the road surface was wet
By John Tredrea
Three people were hospitalized Tuesday afternoon following a head-on collision involving two cars on Route 31 that forced police to close the entire roadway to traffic for about 40 minutes.
The victims still were patients in area hospitals on Wednesday, police said.
The accident occurred a half-mile south of the highway’s intersection with East Delaware Avenue in Pennington at 2:09 p.m. Rain was falling and road surface was wet when the collision occurred, said township police Lt. Lance Maloney.
At the crash site, Route 31 is one lane in each direction with a shoulder on each side. There is a wide sweeping curve with double yellow lines separating the lanes.
Police said Jennifer Harris, 20, of Edison, was headed north in a 1989 Toyota when, according to witnesses, she crossed the double-yellow centerline into the southbound lane. Ms. Harris’ car collided head-on with a southbound 2004 Pontiac driven by Charles Deshield, 58, of Huntington Valley, Pa. Mr. Deshield had a passenger, 76-year-old Larry Nicolovi of Cape May Courthouse.
"Ms. Harris was trapped in her vehicle and the Pennington Fire Company had to cut the roof off of the car in order to extricate her," Lt. Maloney said. "The roadway was completely closed to traffic for approximately 40 minutes."
Ms. Harris was admitted to Capital Health System, Fuld Campus, for injury to her pelvic area. According to Lt. Maloney, she has been issued a summons for failure to keep right.
Mr. Deshield and Mr. Nicolovi were transported to the University Medical Center at Princeton by the Hopewell Fire Department’s Emergency Medical Unit. Mr. Deshield was admitted for injury to his pelvic area. Mr. Nicolovi was admitted for a chest injury.
Mr. Deshield has been issued a summons for driving while suspended, Lt. Maloney said Wednesday.
Patrolman Christopher Vaccarino responded to the accident.

