Two Hurt As Car Hits ShopRite In Brick, Police Say

BRICK, NJ -- (Updated, 3:30 p.m.) Two women were taken to the hospital Friday after a two-car accident that also injured a pedestrian and ended with one car hitting the front of the ShopRite, police said.

Elizabeth Simpson, 90, of Lakewood, was flown by helicopter to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, with a leg injury, Brick Sgt. Neal Pedersen said.

Vincenza Riccio, 88, of Brick, was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center by ambulance with possible internal injuries, he said. She is not related to Brick Township Police Chief James Riccio, Pedersen said.

The crash occurred shortly before 11 a.m. in the ShopRite plaza in Brick, at the corner of Chambersbridge Road and Route 70.

Pedersen said the initial investigation by Brick Township police determined that Riccio was driving a 1998 Toyota Corolla down a parking aisle toward the stores when her car veered to the left, striking a 1998 Hyundai Sonata driven in the opposite direction by Francis Gagliano, 86, of Toms River. Riccio’s car also ”made slight contact with” Joel Strasser, 77, of Brick, who was pushing a shopping cart alongside Gagliano’s car, Pedersen said.

After hitting Gagliano’s car, Riccio’s car continued toward ShopRite, riding up onto the walkway, where it hit Simpson, who was pushing a cart along the sidewalk, and then hit the building, where it came to a rest, Pedersen said.

Strasser was not injured, nor were Gagliano or his passenger, Mary Gagliano, 85, of Toms River, Pedersen said.

Firefighters from Pioneer Hose and Breton Woods fire companies responded, along with Brick Township Police First Aid and MONOC paramedics, Pedersen said.

An inspector from the Brick Township Building Department responded to check the building’s structure and deemed it to be safe, he said.

The Traffic Safety Division is investigating the crash; anyone who might have witnessed the crash is asked to contact 732-262-1143.

Photos of the crash courtesy of the Jersey Shore Scanner News Facebook page; additional photo of the scene courtesy of Facebook user I-am Cheer-Dad, posted to the Brick Patch Facebook page.