Passenger Killed In Late-Night Drunken ATV Crash In South Jersey: Police

HAMILTON, NJ — A woman died and another is seriously injured following a late-night drunken collision between an ATV and a fallen tree in the Township of Hamilton, local police said.

It was shortly before 3 a.m. Saturday when police responded to Columbia Road in the area Oak Street for an ATV crash.

A Honda FourTrax 4x4, driven by Leon Cassel, 62, of Mays Landing, was heading north on Columbia Road with three passengers - Shelley Cassel, 56, and Alaina Huepfel, 37, both of Mays Landing, and Brian Beals, 36, of Egg Harbor City, police said.

The ATV struck a tree that had fallen across the road just north of Oak Street, causing all four passengers to be flung from the ATV, police said.

Shelley Cassel and Huepfel were both seriously injured and taken to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City, police said. No other injuries were reported.

On Sunday, Huepfel died from her injuries, according to police.

None of the passengers were wearing helmets at the time of the crash, police said.

Leon Cassel faces charges of operating under the influence of alcohol and other motor vehicle offenses, police said.

The investigation is active and additional charges are pending, police said.