MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ – A major collision occurred late Monday night, involving two vehicles at the intersection of Commonwealth Blvd and Northampton Blvd. The Manchester Township Police Department arrived at the scene around 11:13 pm, responding to reports of the crash.
At the scene, the officers discovered a maroon 2009 Honda Accord and a grey 2012 Hyundai Accent, both displaying significant front-end damage. James Natoli, the 28-year-old driver of the Hyundai from Toms River, NJ, suffered a head injury and was in the midst of a seizure. With the assistance of local Pine Lake Park residents and first responders, Natoli was stabilized and airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center via a medevac helicopter.
Thurrayya Pendleton, the 50-year-old driver of the Honda from Forked River, NJ, had sustained a non-life-threatening chest injury. Pendleton was transported to Ocean University Medical Center for treatment. Both drivers were reportedly wearing their seatbelts and are stable as of now.
Multiple departments assisted at the crash scene, including the Manchester and Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Departments, and emergency medical teams from the Manchester Township Division of Emergency Services.
Ptl. Keith Douglas of the Manchester Township Traffic Safety Unit is leading the ongoing investigation, with a medical episode currently believed to be the main contributing factor.