Browns Mills Man Dies, 3 Others Hurt In 4-Car Crash On Route 70: Police

MANCHESTER, NJ -- A 21-year-old Browns Mills man died Friday morning after he was ejected from his car in a four-car crash that closed Route 70 for more than five hours, police said Friday afternoon.

Hilario Guillen, 21, of Browns Mills, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which happened near Sam Pitts Road, Manchester Capt. Todd Malland said. Witnesses at the scene rushed to help Guillen and performed CPR until police and EMS arrived but were not successful, Malland said.

Three other people were injured and taken to hospitals but none of their injuries were believed to be life-threatening, Malland said.

Malland said investigators have determined that strong glare from the sun may have contributed to the crash, which happened shortly after 7 a.m. He said Guillen, who was eastbound in a red 1998 Honda Civic, apparently swerved at the last moment to try to avoid a black 2013 Honda Civic driven by Joshua Meeks of Medford, who was stopped waiting to make a left turn onto Sam Pitts Road. Guillen's car hit the rear of Meeks' car and veered into the westbound lane of Route 70, where it was hit broadside by a 2009 Toyota Camry driven by Michael Mott, 53, of Whiting. Mott's car was then hit from behind by a 2011 Chevrolet Malibu driven by Sueanne Papaycik, 53, also of Whting, Malland said.

Guillen was not wearing his seatbelt, Malland said, and was ejected after the collision between his car and Mott's Camry. He was pronounced dead by the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office, he said.

"Strong sun glare appears to have been a contributing factor to this crash and may have prevented Guillen from adequately seeing the vehicles in front of him," Malland said.

Meeks suffered head and neck injuries and was taken by ambulance to Community Medical Center in Toms River for evaluation and treatment, Malland said.

Mott and his wife, Francis, who was a front seat passenger in the Camry, were taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, he said.

Papaycik suffered minor injuries but refused medical treatment at the scene, he said.

The crash closed Route 70 until 12:30 p.m. while officers investigated and it was cleaned up.

Assisting at the scene were members of the Whiting Volunteer Fire Department, Quality Medical Transport and paramedics from MONOC, as well as detectives from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Unit, and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.

Also assisting were members of the Manchester Township Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and representatives from the New Jersey Department of Transportation Diversion Team. The crash is being investigated by Officers Antonio Ellis and Michael Anderson of the Manchester Township Traffic Safety Unit with the assistance of Officer Thomas O’Hare of the Patrol Bureau.