Manchester Man Killed Instantly In Toms River Pedestrian Accident

Two male pedestrians were killed last night in separate accidents within 20 minutes of each other, Toms River Police spokesperson Ralph Stocco said.

Daniel Gunnells, 43, Ridgeway Road, Manchester, was pushing a shopping car across Indian Head Road at Green Drive at 7:31 p.m. when he as struck by an eastbound Chevrolet Camaro driven by Robert Mendez, 63, Lakehurst. Gunnells was killed instantly by the impact, Stocco said.

The second accident occurred at 7:47 p.m., when Matthew Farringingto, 51, Forked River, tried to cross Route 37 northbound at Coolidge Avenue when he was struck by a 2014 Dodge Ram driven by Shawn McNamara, 30, of Toms River. Farrington was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where he died from his injuries, Stocco said.

A preliminary investigation determined that both motor vehicles had green traffic signals and the pedestrians were not using appropriate crosswalks, he said.

The crashes are being investigated by The Toms River Police Department’s traffic safety unit, coordinated by Sgt. Gene Bachonski. The Indian Head Road accident is being investigated by iOfficer David Bartoshek and the Route 37 crash is headed by Officer Mark Nater and Officer Frank Palino.

The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Traffic Unit and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Crime Scene Investigative Unit also responded..