Manchester Woman Hospitalized After Route 70 Accident

MANCHESTER, NJ -- A Manchester Township woman is in serious condition after she was hit by a car as she crossed Route 70 in dense fog late on Christmas Eve, police said.

Roseann Riley, 77, of Manchester, was listed in serious condition at Jersey Shore University Medical Center Friday morning after suffering significant injuries to her head, both legs, and right shoulder, Manchester Capt. Todd Malland said.

Malland said officers were called to the intersection of Route 70 and Route 571 at 11:05 p.m., and the investigation found that a blue 2004 Nissan Sentra was westbound on Route 70 and crossing through the intersection of Route 571, when it struck Riley, who was walking southbound inside the crosswalk.

Preliminary investigation determined Riley failed to observe the crossing signal as the Nissan Sentra had the green light and the right of way, Malland said. Dense fog made it difficult for the driver, Tiffanyann Smith, 39 of Jackson, to see Riley, and wet roads were determined to have played a factor in the accident as well, Malland said.

Smith and her passenger, Sherylann Smith, 70, of Jackson, were properly restrained and not injured in the collision, he said.

The left and turn lanes of Route 70 were closed for several hours while emergency responders were on scene, he said. Assisting at the scene were members of the Manchester Township Volunteer First Aid Squad, paramedics from MONOC, and detectives from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, he said.

Patrolman Ian Bole of the Manchester Township Police Department Traffic Safety Section is investigating.