COLTS NECK — Two men were killed and a third man was hospitalized as the result of a motor vehicle accident that occurred on Route 18 in Colts Neck on Sept. 16.
The fatal accident was reported in a 911 call at 6:15 a.m., and Route 18 was closed until 3:30 p.m., authorities said.
All three men were riding in a commercial line-striping truck that was owned by Straight Edge Striping, Bound Brook, according to Charles Webster, a spokesman for the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.
Webster identified the men who died as Apolinar Guerrero, 39, of Piscataway, a passenger in the vehicle who was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:30 a.m., and Juan Sanchez, 51, of Bound Brook, a passenger who was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:35 a.m.
The driver of the vehicle was identified as Nicolas Denis, 23, of Elizabeth. Denis was transported to a hospital and listed in stable condition on the day of the accident, according to Webster. He was released from the hospital the next day.
Webster said the accident occurred when the truck, which was heading north on Route 18, overturned and landed in the highway’s median. The accident occurred between the interchanges for Route 34 and Route 537 in Colts Neck. The three men were ejected from the truck.
The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, the Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team and the Colts Neck Police Department are conducting the investigation, with assistance from the New Jersey State Police Commercial Vehicle Inspection Unit, Webster said.
Additional assistance was provided at the scene by the Marlboro Police Department and the Tinton Falls Police Department.
Webster asked anyone with information regarding the accident to call Detective Eric Kerecman of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 800-533-7443 or Colts Neck Sgt. Kristian DeVito at 732-780-7323.