Driver In Rt. 524 Crash Was Using Phone, Had Suspended License

HOWELL, NJ - A single vehicle collision on Route 524 brought down a utility pole at the intersection of the main road at Merrick Road on Friday morning, authorities said.

A 68-year-old male driver from South Amboy suffered a minor injury, police said. The driver was reportedly on his cell phone and driving with a suspended license.

According to Capt. John Storrow, the driver hit the utility pole, which in turn split in two places. Police officers had to pull the driver out of the car after it flipped on the roadway.

The driver was issued three summonses, including driving while on the phone, careless driving and driving with a suspended license.

At around 10 a.m., the Howell Township Police Department announced that a portion of the roadway will be closed for several hours as utility crews complete repair work. Route 524 is currently closed between Ketchum and Route 524A (Squankum-Yellowbrook).

Multiple power outages were reported in the area, with 174 households in Howell and six households in Farmingdale affected as of 10:44 a.m. on Friday. As of 12:54 p.m. on Friday, all reported outages were restored.

Route 524 will be closed until about 12 a.m. on Saturday to replace the pole and wiring, Storrow said.