South Brunswick Police Continue Investigation Into Two Crashes That Shut Down Roads In The Township

South Brunswick police said they are continuing their investigation into the cause of a Friday afternoon crash that left a Jamesburg man with life-threatening injuries.

Police said they are also investigating the cause of another crash that shut down Route 1 north for about an hour early Saturday morning.

According to police Lt. James Ryan:

Around 12:45 p.m. Friday, Rosbuth Mathis, 50, of Jamesburg was driving a 1995 Mercury west on Deans Rhode Hall Road. About a half-mile west of the New Jersey Turnpike overpass, the car crossed into the eastbound lane and hit a tractor trailer head- on.

Mathis was trapped in his vehicle, and had to be extricated by firefighters from the Monmouth Junction and Brookdale fire companies. Mathis was airlifted by New Jersey State Police to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where he is listed in critical condition.

The crash shut down the road for more than four hours. The South Brunswick Police Traffic Safety Bureau is investigating, and anyone with information is asked to call police at (732) 329-4646.

The other crash happened around 5:30 a.m. Saturday on Route 1 near New Road.

A 2007 International tractor trailer was in the northbound lane, stopped at a red light, when it was struck from behind by a 2009 Nissan Rogue driven by Nicole Sentenat, 26, of New Brunswick.

The Rogue caught fire and was destroyed.

The northbound side of the highway was shut down for about an hour.

Sentenat was transported to the Medical Center at Princeton for treatment of minor injuries.

Police said the investigation is ongoing.

Photo courtesy South Brunswick police

Photo: Scene of Friday afternoon crash on Deans Rhode Hall Road in South Brunswick