Man Drives Into School Van In Holmdel, Police Say

HOLMDEL, NJ — A 36-year-old Union Beach man drove head-on into opposing traffic on Laurel Avenue Tuesday morning, colliding with multiple other vehicles, among them a school van, Holmdel police said.

The school van was carrying one student, who was not injured in the accident, police said. Police said they did not know what school the child was headed to. The driver was injured, however.

The crash occurred on Laurel Avenue, in between Steven Court and the NJ Transit railroad overpass. Police said that Daniel Magistro, 36, of Union Beach, was driving northbound on Laurel Avenue when he crossed into the southbound lane and collided with a minivan carrying the student.

He then collided with a sedan. Magistro continued northbound in the southbound lane, colliding with two more vehicles, police said.

Magistro was issued summonses for reckless driving and failure to maintain a lane, but Holmdel police are asking witnesses to come forward if anyone noticed anything else from this morning.

The student was not injured, but the driver of the school van, and the driver and passenger from another vehicle, were all transported to Bayshore Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. Four of the five vehicles sustained extensive damage and had to be towed from the scene.

Laurel Avenue was closed in both directions for approximately one hour due to the investigation and cleanup, but it has since been reopened by Tuesday afternoon. Holmdel First Aid Squad, Middletown EMS and MONOC paramedics responded. Middletown police also responded, as the accident happened right on the Township line.

Any witnesses are asked to contact Ptl. James Corrigan or Sgt. Vinvent Imperato at 732-946-4400 at Holmdel police.

Photo of the crash scene supplied by Bob Pfleger, public information officer, Township of Middletown EMS Department.