Woman Airlifted, 3 Others Injured In Route 70 Crash In Manchester

MANCHESTER, NJ — Four people were injured Friday evening in a three-vehicle crash on Route 70, Manchester police said Saturday.

Carol Schmidt, 64, of Manchester; Michael Schmidt, 33, of Toms River; Araceli Hernandez, 35, of Toms River, and William Woodburn Jr., 21, of Mickleton, all were injured in the crash, Capt. Albert Vega said.

Carol Schmidt was the most seriously injured, Vega said. She had to be extricated and was flown to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, and was listed as stable on Saturday, he said.

Hernandez suffered injuries that were not life-threatening and she was taken to Community Medical Center in Toms River, Vega said.

Michael Schmidt and Woodburn both suffered minor injuries and declined to be taken to a hospital, he said.

The crash happened just before 6 p.m. at the intersection with Ridgeway Road, Vega said.

The investigation found a black 2022 Honda HR-V driven by Michael Schmidt was headed west on Route 70 and turning left onto Ridgeway Road when it collided with a blue 2009 Ford Expedition driven by Woodburn that was headed east, Vega said.

After the impact, the Expedition came to a stop facing south in the intersection, he said. The impact caused the Honda to turn 90 degrees and collide with a white 2024 GMC Yukon driven by Hernandez that was stopped in traffic on Ridgeway Road, Vega said.

The preliminary investigation indicates that failure to yield to the right of way appears to be the primary contributing factor, he said.

Emergency medical technicians from the Manchester Township Division of Emergency Services, the Manchester and Ridgeway Volunteer fire departments, paramedics from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Accurate Towing responded.

Patrolman Brendan Brush is investigating.