Both drivers killed in head-on crash
HOPEWELL — A car crash on Route 518 killed both drivers Friday afternoon, police said.
Township police Chief Lance Maloney reported Friday night that at 4:36 p.m., police and rescue workers were dispatched to a motor vehicle crash on Hopewell-Lambertville Road (Route 518) east of Stony Brook Road, police said.
Officers arrived and found that a Honda Accord and a Porsche Boxster collided in the eastbound lane.
According to police, the Honda Accord was occupied by Lara Veronica Chrucky, 39, of Stagecoach Road, Pipersville, Pennsylvania.
Officers as well as emergency medical personnel attempted emergency first aid procedures but Ms. Chrucky succumbed to injuries she received in the crash, police said.
The Hopewell Fire Department extricated Ms. Chrucky from the vehicle and she was transported to the Mercer County Medical Examiner’s Facility.
The Porsche Boxster was occupied by Michael John Toscano, 49, of Upper York Road, Solebury, Pennsylvania.
Police said Mr. Toscano was extricated from his vehicle and was flown to Capital Health Regional Medical Center by a New Jersey State Police Medevac Helicopter with serious injuries.
Mr. Toscano succumbed to his injuries at about 8 p.m. Friday at the hospital, police said.
According to police, an investigation into the crash revealed that Ms. Chrucky was traveling east along Route 518 while Mr. Toscano was traveling west.
The cars collided in the eastbound lane causing Ms. Chrucky’s car to strike a guardrail on the eastbound side of the roadway.
Mr. Toscano’s car came to rest in the middle of the road, which is one lane in each direction.
Police said the road surface was clear, dry, and no other vehicles were involved.
The road was closed for approximately three hours while police conducted the investigation. West Amwell Police and Hopewell Fire Police assisted with detouring traffic, police said.
Hopewell Township Police along with the Hopewell Fire Department and Emergency Medical Unit, the Pennington Fire Company, Hopewell Valley Emergency Services personnel, the New Hope Lambertville Rescue Squad, and paramedics from Capital Health-Hopewell and Hunterdon Medical Center The crash still is being investigated by Officer Mandy Grey and Detective Frank Tulko along with Detective Anthony Abarno of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office responded to the scene, police said.
Anyone who may have witnessed this crash is asked to contact Detective Tulko (609) 737-3100.