Dump Truck Causes Power Outages, Car Crashes In Brick, Toms River

BRICK, NJ – A dump truck caused a series of collisions, power outages, and road closures in Toms River and Brick Wednesday night, authorities from both townships report.

At around 5:08 p.m., a dump truck was towing a flat trailer with an excavator in an upright position, according to Brick Township police. The upright excavator took down several wires, along Rte. 70, and one of the wires landed on a Honda Pilot. The driver, 30-year-old Ashely Savastano of Brielle, was not hurt, police said.

The truck continued west along Rte. 70, and the excavator arm collided with the mast arm at the stoplight at the intersection of Rte. 70 and Brick Boulevard, police say. Power was disrupted to the area for several hours, and Rte. 70 was closed from Rte. 88 to Pier Avenue. As of 11 a.m. Thursday, the power is restored, and Rte. 70 westbound is open, although the jughandle to southbound Brick Boulevard remains closed, a Brick police officer told Patch.

The truck continued to cause damage. In Toms River, the truck made a right turn onto Whitesville Road. During the right turn, the attached trailer flipped over, and the excavator landed on top of a car stopped at a red light. Neither the truck driver nor the driver of the stopped vehicle were hurt, police said.

The truck driver has been identified as Christopher W. Caches, 56, of Toms River. He has been issued a summons for Careless Driving. Toms River Police spokesperson Sgt. James Kelly also told the Daily Voice that Caches was issued summonses for failure to report a motor vehicle accident, leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident, and improper loading of a vehicle.