Toms River woman, NY man hospitalized following Manchester crash

Two people are hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries following a four vehicle crash on Monday afternoon in Manchester Township.

Police said that the driver of a 2000 Peterbilt dump-truck — 57-year-old Noel Rivera-Gonzalez of Sayreville — was heading south on Route 539 and failed to stop behind a 2011 Kia Forte — driven by 39-year-old Grace Newchurch of Toms River — who was waiting for traffic to go by so she could turn left onto Horicon Avenue.

When the dump-truck hit the Kia from behind, it forced the Kia onto the northbound lanes of Route 539 where it crashed into the driver side of a 2010 Toyota Prius — driven by 67-year-old Anthony Foti of Ogdensburg, New York — and then it rotated, police said, onto the shoulder.

The Prius was forced into the southbound lane of Route 539 where it struck the driver side of a 2014 GMC Savana work van being driven by 42-year-old Steven Greenberg of Forked River.

Police said that Newchurch was trapped inside the vehicle but emergency responders were able to free her and after doing so, Manchester Township Division of Emergency Services Ambulance brought her to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for treatment and evaluation of her injuries and is currently in stable condition.

Ogdensburg was also transported via Manchester Township Division of Emergency Services Ambulance but to Community Medical Center for treatment and evaluation of non-life-threatening injuries.

Rivera-Gonzalez and Greenberg did not report any injuries, police said.

Manchester Police continue investigating the crash but said that the dump-truck following too closely and driver inattention appear to be the primary contributing factors.

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