Berkeley Woman Hurt As Fleeing Driver Hits Bus, Pickup, Police Say

TOMS RIVER, NJ -- A Toms River woman with a revoked license hit a pickup truck and an empty school bus driven by a Berkeley woman, injuring two people, when she tried to flee a police officer who was attempting to pull her over, police said Tuesday.

The crash, on Route 37 at the intersection with Brookside Drive, happened at 3 p.m. when police tried to pull over Michele Morano, 28, of Roundtree Drive, Toms River, said Ralph Stocco, Toms River Police spokesman.

Morano was driving south on Brookside Drive when she saw a Toms River patrol car with its lights on behind her, she told police. The patrol car was driven by Officer Ryan Parente, who was attempting to pull her over for equipment violations and for driving while on the revoked list, Stocco said.

Morano told police she sped up in an attempt to "get away," Stocco said, and as she reached the intersection with Route 37, was going too fast to stop, she said.

As she entered the westbound lanes of Route 37, Morano's car hit a 2002 Ford pickup truck driven by Stephen Balogh of Compass Court, Toms River, pushing Balogh's pickup into a Toms River school bus driven by Joanne Sandberg of Ely Court, Berkeley Township, that was traveling next to Balogh, according to the report by traffic investigator David Bartoshek, Stocco said.

The school bus, which did not have children on it at the time, and the pickup truck ended up in the median, Stocco said.

Sandberg was taken to Community Medical Center, Toms River, for treatment of minor injuries, he said. Balogh was uninjured, according to the report.

Morano was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, for treatment, where Stocco said she was listed in stable condition.

Morano has been charged with assault by auto, eluding a police officer, and motor vehicle violations including reckless driving, driving while on the revoked list, failure to have insurance and failure to stop at an intersection, Stocco said.

Her bail has been set at $25,000, and when she is released from the hospital, she will have to post bail or will be sent to the Ocean County Jail until she is able to do so, Stocco said.