JACKSON – The Jackson Police Department is continuing its investigation of a serious motor vehicle collision which occurred at the intersection of Cedar Swamp Road and East Commodore and West Commodore boulevards and sent a truck careening into Glory’s Market on the afternoon of Nov. 1.
Customers and employees were in the market shortly after noon when a truck smashed into a corner of the building. An investigation determined the truck was one of three vehicles that had been involved in a motor vehicle collision.
Police said an initial investigation indicated that a 2016 Mack Truck with an attached trailer was traveling south on Cedar Swamp Road approaching the intersection of East Commodore and West Commodore boulevards. The truck was hauling a load of powdered cement.
The intersection is controlled by a traffic signal and police said they believe the truck driver, identified as a 54-year-old resident of Toms River, had a green light.
At the same time the truck was heading south, a 2009 Nissan Altima being driven by a 17-year-old resident of Jackson was traveling north on Cedar Swamp Road.
Police said the teenage driver was turning left onto West Commodore Boulevard and entered the path of the oncoming truck. The two vehicles collided in the intersection and the force of the impact propelled the Nissan back into the northbound lane at which point it struck a 2012 Honda Civic being driven by a 38-year-old resident of Plainsboro.
Police said the force of the impact between the truck and the Nissan caused the truck to leave the road and impact Glory’s Market. The truck struck the store and made what authorities described as a significant intrusion into the building, causing serious injuries to two individuals in the store.
Police said a 69-year-old male customer in Glory’s Market was airlifted to a trauma center for treatment and a 61-year-old female employee of the market was transported to a trauma center for treatment. The truck driver was transported by ambulance to a trauma center for treatment and the driver of the Nissan was transported to a hospital for treatment.
In the hours after the incident, police said the truck driver had been treated and discharged from the trauma center. The female employee of Glory’s Market and the male customer were still hospitalized and were being treated for what were described as serious, but non-life threatening injuries. No update was provided on the teenage driver of the Nissan.
Police said the driver of the Honda was not injured in the collision.
A vehicle which was parked and unoccupied in the parking lot of Glory’s Market was damaged in the incident. The building sustained serious damage and had to be supported for the investigation to proceed. A cleanup of a fuel spill from the truck had to be completed at the site.
Police said firefighters, emergency medical services personnel and emergency personnel from Ocean and Monmouth counties responded to the scene. The intersection was closed in the wake of the incident, causing motorists to seek alternate routes through the area.
On Nov. 2, Glory’s Market was partially open and employees and customers were at the business. Ownership declined to make a comment at that time, as they were still cleaning up and collecting themselves from the prior day’s incident.