Motorcyclist Dies In Crash Of 2 Motorcycles In Manchester

MANCHESTER, NJ — A Jackson Township man died Saturday when his motorcycle crashed into a second motorcycle on Pasadena Road in Manchester, police said.

Paul Brinkman, 66, of Jackson, was severely injured in the crash that happened about 2:15 p.m. near the intersection with Mount Misery Road, Manchester Lt. James Koomsa said. Koomsa said first responders attempted to save Brinkman's life but he succumbed to his injuries at the crash scene. Brinkman was not wearing a motorcycle helmet, Koomsa said.

Brinkman was driving a black 2013 Harley Davidson Road King motorcycle on Pasadena Road, trailing Michael Varcadipane, 57, of Toms River, who was riding a blue 2018 Indian Chieftan motorcycle, Koomsa said.

The investigation so far shows the two men were ridfing together, in a staggered formation, when Varcadipane saw a disabled motorcyclist on the westbound shoulder of Pasadena Road and tried to pull over on the eastbound shoulder to assist the disabled motorcyclist, Koomsa said. As Varcadipane began to slow down and pull off the road, Brinkman failed to react in time and hit Varcadipain's motorcycle, Koomsa said. Both men were thrown from their motorcycles, he said.

Varcadipane was wearing a state Deparment of Transportation-approved helmet, he said; he sustained injuries to the right side of his body but refused any further medical attention, Koomsa said.

Manchester Patrolman Michael O'Hara is continuing to investigate, but police said the preliminary finding is that following too closely and rider inattention appear to be the primary factors in the crash.

Assisting were detectives from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Crime Scene Investigations Unit, the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office, the Manchester Township Division of Emergency Services, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, fire police from Whiting Volunteer Fire Department, and New Jersey State Park Police. The road was closed in the area of the crash for several hours for the investigation.

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