Whiting Man Killed, 2nd Whiting Man Injured In Head-On Crash, Manchester Police Say

MANCHESTER, NJ -- A Whiting man was killed and a second Whiting man was injured Thursday afternoon in a head-on collision that closed Route 530 for several hours, police said.

Thomas Kubes, 71, died at the scene of the crash that happened near the intersection of Route 530 and Lacey Road about 4:30 p.m., Capt. Todd Malland said.

Fred Wood Jr., 69, suffered non-life threatening injuries and was flown by New Jersey State Police medivac to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where he was listed in stable condition, Malland said.

Wood was westbound on Route 530 in a blue 2006 Lexus GS and crossed the double yellow center line and hit the light blue 2016 Ford Escape that was being driven eastbound by Kubes head-on, he said.

The Lexus wound up in the facing east in the eastbound lanes of Route 530, and the Escape ended up facing north on the eastbound berm of the road, he said.

Route 530 remained closed past 10 p.m. while the crash was being investigated and the vehicles removed, Malland said.

Assisting at the scene were members of the Whiting Volunteer Fire Department and Quality Medical Transport as well as detectives from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) Unit, and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office. The crash is being investigated by Officers Antonio Ellis, Michael Lynch and Michael Anderson of the Manchester Township Traffic Safety Section.

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