Man Suffering Medical Emergency Rescued At Allaire State Park: Howell Police

HOWELL, NJ — Dispatchers giving GPS directions, firefighters driving a brush truck, and a Good Samaritan and good friends helped police from Howell, Wall and the New Jersey State Park Police rescue a man who suffered an apparent heart attack in the deep in the woods at Allaire State Park Thursday night, authorities said.

Detective Sgt. Christian Antunez said the 48-year-old man from Colts Neck and two friends were riding bicycles on a trail in the park when the man suffered a medical emergency about 6:45 p.m. Thursday. The friends immediately called 911, he said.

Howell Sgt. Michael Popek and Patrolmen Ryan Lowe and Ray Tillotson responded to the area, which was across the street from Blewett's salvage yard on Herbertsville Road. The trio started searching, working with Howell dispatchers to use GPS location to find the group, and yelling for the callers as well, Antunez said.

As they yelled, a young male bicyclist found them and took the Howell officers to the scene. Popek, Lowe and Tillotsen arrived just as officers from Wall Police and State Park Police located the individuals, Antunez said.

Together, the officers carried the man several hundred feet to a trail where the Ramtown Fire Department brush truck was waiting, which then took the man to the Howell Police ambulance standing by, Antunez said.

The man was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for treatment. An update on his condition was not available Friday afternoon, Antunez said.

"This was a coordinated effort between the Howell and Wall Township police departments and communication centers, State Park Police and Ramtown Fire Department," he said. "The actions of the patient’s friends and Good Samaritan who led officers to the scene assisted greatly in providing immediate care to the patient."

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