Police Respond to Two Overturned Autos

Police responded to two separate accidents involving overturned vehicles in the township this morning, sending one to the hospital.

At 7:39 a.m., Stephen Smyth, 43, of Barnegat attempted to make a left turn from the eastbound lane of West Bay Avenue into the Genuardi's plaza parking lot, said Lt. Keith Germain of the Barnegat Township Police Department. As he turned, his Hyundai Santa Fe was struck by a westbound Hyundai Sonata driven by George Phillip Jr., 37, also of Barnegat.

The impact flipped Smyth's car, which then came to rest in the median of the shopping center driveway, said Germain. Smyth was able to climb out of his car's sunroof uninjured. Phillip was transported to Southern Ocean County Medical Center with a neck injury.

Smyth was issued a summons for failure to yield the right of
way at an intersection, Germain said.

Less than three hours later, shortly after 10 a.m., a 17-year-old Barnegat male was driving east on East Bay Avenue when he swerved to avoid a deer that ran in front of his Nissan Versa, said Germain.

The car overturned and finally came to rest on its wheels in the front yard of 635 East Bay Ave., Germain said. The young man was uninjured and was able to climb from the car on his own. 

Besides torn-up grass, the homeowner's property wasn't damaged, said Germain.