Son, Parents Who Died In Freehold Twp. Car Crash Identified

FREEHOLD, NJ – The 21-year-old driver of a car that was struck in a Freehold Township crash Sunday has died from his injuries, the third member of the Salib family of Marlboro Township to die in the accident, authorities confirmed Wednesday.

Mark M. Salib, 21, died Tuesday afternoon at 1:45 p.m., said Chris Swendeman, a spokesperson for the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.

He was the son of Masoud B. Salib, 61, and Hanaa I. Salib, 52, who both died in the accident on Sunday. Their son had been hospitalized with severe injuries since Sunday, Swendeman said.

The victims were the occupants of a Honda CR-V that was rear-ended in a multi-car crash on Route 9 in Freehold Township July 3 that involved five cars, Swendeman said.

As word of the loss of the family members became known in Marlboro, Mayor Jon Hornik said the town is keeping the family in their thoughts and prayers.

"We are still a very close-knit community, and this has devastated all of us," Hornik said.

He said the community will do whatever it can for the family.

Authorities had not released the identities of the victims until now pending notification of next of kin, Swendeman said earlier this week.

He said there is another immediate family member but is not releasing that person's relationship to the family.

The investigation is ongoing, Swendeman said.

Another person, a 74-year-old Manalapan woman who, authorities say, was driving the car that struck the Salibs' car, is also hospitalized with serious injuries. Swendeman said her identity has not yet been released.

On Sunday, the Freehold Township Police Department responded to a report at 1:28 p.m. of the crash near the intersection of Route 9 South and Route 33 westbound, Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Lori Linskey said in a news release.

The investigation shows a 2019 Lexus NX, driven by the 74-year-old female from Manalapan, was traveling southbound on Route 9 when the vehicle side-swiped a 2015 black Lexus RX350, and then side-swiped a white 2019 Subaru Crosstrek, the prosecutor's office said.

The 2019 Lexus driven by the Manalapan woman then rear-ended the 2017 black Honda CR-V, in which the fatalities took place, authorities said. The black Honda CR-V then rear-ended a 2009 purple Scion TC, the prosecutor's office said.

Hanaa I. Salibbwas pronounced dead at the scene; Masoud B. Salib died at a local hospital, the prosecutor's office said.

The driver of the 2019 Lexus was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries, Swendeman confirmed Monday.

The names of the hospitals where victims were taken were not specified, Swendeman said.
Other drivers and passengers sought medical attention for minor injuries, the prosecutor's office said.

Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information to assist the investigative team is urged to contact Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Det. Nicolas Logothetis at 800-533-7443, or Freehold Township Police Department Patrolman Justin Nunno at 732-462-7908., the prosecutor's office said.