Motorcyclist Dies In Route 539 Crash In Manchester

MANCHESTER, NJ — A Pemberton man died Tuesday when his motorcycle hit a utility pole on Route 539 in Manchester, police said Wednesday.

Phillip Gurganious, 32, of the Browns Mills section of Pemberton, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which happened about 6:45 p.m., Manchester Capt. Vincent Manco said.

Gurganious was riding a 2019 Yamaha XSR motorcycle north on Route 539; it ran off the road and hit a utility pole as he approached the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard, in the Whiting section, Manco said.

Manchester Sgt. Paul Bachovchin, Patrolman Jesse Hoydis and Patrolman Michael Anderson of the department’s Traffic Safety section are investigating to determine what may have caused him to run off the road.

Assisting at the scene were members of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit, Ocean County Medical Examiner, Manchester EMS and paramedics from Robert Wood Johnson, Manco said.

Click here to get Patch email notifications, or download our app to have breaking news alerts sent right to your phone. Have a news tip? Email karen.wall@patch.com Follow Manchester Patch on Facebook.