School Bus Slams Into Home In Ocean County, 2 Injured, Police Say

LAKEHURST, NJ — Two people were injured when a Manchester Township Schools bus hit a Ford pickup truck and a home in Lakehurst on Thursday morning, Lakehurst police said.

The crash was reported at 6:22 a.m. at a home near Lilac Street and Union Avenue, Police Chief Matthew Kline said.

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The initial investigation indicates John Murray Jr., 64, of Toms River, was driving the bus east on Union Avenue and as he drove around the curve in the road, crossed into the westbound lane of Union Avenue and hit a 2022 white Ford F-250 pickup truck driven by David Cella, 47, of Manchester, Kline said.

The 2018 Thomas Built school bus hit the back end of the pickup truck, causing the truck to spin and leaving it disabled in the road, Kline said.

The bus kept going east and ran off the road and hit the front of the house, he said.

There were no students on the bus, Kline and Manchester Township Schools spokesperson Dina Silvestri said.

There was no one in the house at the time of the crash, Kline said.

The bus caused significant damage to the home, and a red sticker indicating the house is unsafe for occupancy was posted on a front window.

Kline said Murray and Cella both suffered minor injuries and were evaluated at a hospital.

Both vehicles sustained significant damage and had to be towed from the scene.

Union Avenue was closed to traffic for about 3-1/2 hours while officers secured the scene and conducted a preliminary investigation, Kline said. Failure to maintain a lane appears to be the primary contributing factor, he said.

Anyone with additional information regarding the incident is asked to contact the Lakehurst Police Department.

Assisting the Lakehurst Police Department at the scene were the Whiting Volunteer Fire Department, Lakehurst First Aid Squad, Manchester Emergency Medical Services, Manchester Police Department, Manchester Building Inspector, and Priced Rite Towing, he said.

Lakehurst Officer Gavin Riedinger is investigating and anyone with additional information is asked to contact Lakehurst police, Kline said.