Area woman dies in Friday accident

Lisa H. Dzieglewicz of Hillsborough was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the Capital Health System’s Fuld Campus

By John Tredrea
   A 35-year-old Hillsborough woman in the front passenger seat of a Honda that went out of control on Harbourton-Rocktown Road on Friday morning was killed by injuries sustained in a crash with an oncoming Infinity.
   Lisa H. Dzieglewicz, of Deanna Drive, Hillsborough, was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the Capital Health System’s Fuld Campus, where she taken by ambulance Friday, according to Hopewell Township police Chief George Meyer.
   The driver of the Honda, Ekaterina Burkhour, 53, of Andrews Street in Green Brook, was still in the intensive care unit at Capital Health System, Fuld Campus, Wednesday afternoon. She has been charged with careless driving and failure to keep right, Chief Meyer said.
   The driver of the Infinity, Ralph Knight, 39, Unruh Avenue, Philadelphia, has been charged with driving while his license was suspended, the chief said. Mr. Knight, who was alone in the car, was treated at Fuld and released.
   The case is being forwarded to the Mercer County prosecutor’s office for review, Chief Meyer said Wednesday.
   The accident occurred at 11:09 a.m. when the Honda, driven by Ms. Burkhour, was going south on Harbourton-Rocktown Road in Hopewell Township. There were three passengers in the Burkhour vehicle, including Ms. Dzieglewicz.
   As the Honda rounded a slight curve to the left, the right side tires left the paved portion of the roadway for an unknown reason, going into a 7- to 9-inch deep crevice immediately adjacent to the pavement. The Honda then crossed into the northbound lane, where its front passenger side was hit by the northbound Infinity, driven by Mr. Knight, police said.
   Rescue workers were forced to cut off the roof of the Honda to remove several of the occupants.
   Mr. Knight was taken to Capital Health System’s Fuld Campus, as was Ms. Burkhour’s back-seat passenger Robert Vernon, 56, of Stockton. The other back-seat passenger, Shirley Khemlani, 58, of Butternut Avenue, Wayne, was transported to the University Medical Center at Princeton. Injuries to the passengers were not considered life-threatening.
   "There is no indication of excessive speed or alcohol being involved in the crash," Chief Meyer noted, adding that the collision was witnessed by a motorist driving behind Ms. Burkhour.
   Police said they believe all the front seat passengers were wearing seat belts and shoulder harnesses.
   Responding to the accident scene were the Hopewell Valley Emergency Services, Hopewell Fire Department, Hopewell Emergency Medical Unit, Amwell Valley Fire Department, Amwell Fire First Aid Squad and Capital Health System paramedics. New Jersey state police assisted with detouring traffic. Harbourton-Rocktown Road was closed for two hours between Routes 518 and 31.
   Township Patrolman Louis Vastola, township Detective Kevin Zorn and Detective Dan Santoro of the Mercer County prosecutor’s office investigated the accident.