Woman Dies In Route 70 Car-Pickup Crash in Manchester

MANCHESTER, NJ — A Manchester woman was killed Thursday night in a Route 70 crash that happened when the car she was a passenger in turned in front of an oncoming pickup truck, Manchester police said.

Joan Maniaci, 83, died of severe internal trauma she suffered in the crash that happened shortly before 10 p.m., Manchester Capt. Vincent Manco said.

Maniaci was a passenger in a gold 2005 Honda Accord driven by Monica McCord, 82, of Whiting, Manco said.

The Honda was westbound on Route 70 in the left-turn lane waiting to turn onto Manchester Boulevard, Manco said. At the same time, a gray 2004 Dodge Ram driven by Justice Wilson, 19, of Whiting, was headed east on Route 70, he said.

Traffic in west and east on Route 70 had green lights, Manco said, and as the Dodge approached, the Honda started to make the left turn onto Manchester Boulevard, at which point the pickup truck hit the passenger side of the Honda.

The force of the impact sent the Honda into a utility pole, Manco said, and knocked down a light. The Dodge came to a stop facing west, he said.

McCord suffered facial lacerations and chest pain and was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where she was listed in stable condition Saturday afternoon, Manco said.

Maniaci was taken to Community Medical Center, where she was later pronounced dead, he said.

Wilson was not injured, Manco said.

The investigation into the crash was continuing but the preliminary investigation found failure to yield to oncoming traffic is the contributing cause of the motor vehicle accident, Manco said.

Patrolman Conner Yatauro of the Manchester Township Police Department Traffic Safety Section is investigating.

Assisting at the crash were EMTs from the Manchester Township Division of Emergency Services, paramedics from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, along with members of the Whiting Volunteer Fire Departments, Lakehurst Police Department, and representatives from Jersey Central Power and Light and New Jersey Department of Transportation, he said.

The road was closed for several hours for the crash cleanup and investigation.

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