Car Smashes Into Dance Studio, Shuts Route 88 In Point Pleasant

A major road in Point Pleasant Boro was shut down Tuesday morning because of a two-car drunk-driving crash that knocked over a pole and smashed the front side of a dance studio, police said.

The accident, which happened at approximately 9:58 p.m. Monday in the area of Route 88 and Northstream Parkway, involved a vehicle traveling east on Route 88 driven by Kara Costa, 18, of Brick, police said.

Costa's car struck a vehicle from behind, causing it to strike a utility pole, police said. Costa’s vehicle then struck the front of the Academy of Dance building, police said

The operator of the studio confirmed to Patch that her building was struck.

Costa was arrested and charged with drunk driving, reckless driving, careless driving, having an open container in a motor vehicle, unsafe operation and possession of marijuana, police said.

The driver of the vehicle struck, a 55-year-old male from Point Pleasant, was transported to Ocean Medical Center in Brick for minor injuries.

Route 88 was closed from Bridge Avenue to Hardenburg Avenue in both directions until around 12 noon, police said.

Traffic was detoured in both directions because of the downed pole, according to the state Department of Transportation.

This is a developing story. Patch will have information as it comes in.

Google photo from 2017