Three Incidents, Same N.J. Town: Missing Person, Man Killed By Tree, Bad Accident

Residents of the same South Jersey town were dealing with tragedy and fear on Thursday after a series of disturbing incidents all unraveled within hours of each other.

An 85-year-old man was killed Thursday after a tree landed on top of him in Mullica Township, police said.

On the same day, a 36-year-0ld woman was reported missing after she was last seen at her Mullica Township home on Aug. 19.

Also on Thursday, a 64-year-old man was critically injured in a traffic accident there, police said.

Tragic accident

At 12:32 p.m., 911 calls were received reporting a two-car motor vehicle accident at Route 30 and Poplar Avenue. Officers arrived quickly and reported one critical injury and two minor injuries, police said.

The most severely injured, James Anderson, 64, suffered head and a severe arm injury. Anderson was traveling west on Route 30 in a 1998 Jeep Cherokee when a vehicle headed east on Route 30 turned in front of him, police said.

Gilberto Matos, 74, of Elwood was operating a 1995 F250 Pickup Truck when he turned into the path of Anderson, causing the collision. A vehicle parked at a business at the crash scene suffered damage as well, police said.

The Elwood Fire Company along with Atlanticare Emergency Medical Services responded. The remaining minor injuries refused treatment, police said.

Anderson was transported to Atlanticare Regional Trauma Center in Atlantic City, while Matos was issued several summons including careless driving, improper turn and driving with a cracked windshield, police said.

Route 30 was shut down to both East and West Bound traffic for approximately one hour.

Missing woman

The Mullica Township Police Department also is still requesting the public's help in locating a missing woman, Michele L. Tillstrom.

Tillstrom is described as a white female, approximately 5 feet 3 inches tall, with blue eyes. She was last seen on Saturday at her home on the Mullica Township/Hammonton border, police said.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of this person, or have seen Tillstrom, please contact the police immediately at 609-652-2037.

Man killed by tree

The tree incident was reported at 9:12 a.m., when a 911 call was made by the victim's wife on Baremore Road in Mullica Township, Atlantic County, police said.

The caller reported that her husband was cutting tree in their yard; the tree fell on top of her husband, rendering him unconscious and unresponsive, police said.

Officers responded and located the victim; Atlanticare Emergency Medical Services arrived and determined the victim, Ronald Loatwall, had died, police said. The Elwood Fire Department, along with the Mullica Township Department of Public Works, also responded to aid in the rescue of the individual.

There are no signs of foul play; this event is being viewed as a tragic accident, police said. Loatwall has resided in Mullica Township for over 50 years.

Mullica police photos