More Than 20 Crashes In One Day Tie Up Roads, Police In Toms River

TOMS RIVER, NJ — After a day where Toms River police responded to more than 20 motor vehicle crashes across the township, police have two words for area motorists: Just. Drive.

The crashes on Thursday were primarily minor, but two resulted in overturned vehicles, and in another, a bicyclist was injured, said Jillian Messina, media relations specialist for the Toms River Police Department.

Messina said multiple drivers were issued summonses for careless driving, and for failure to yield, she said.

"We’d like to acknowledge our dedicated patrol officers for all they do every day, as well as our incredible dispatchers who are not only the calm during someone’s crisis, they are the lifeline to our officers," Messina said.

"We are reminding drivers to avoid distractions and Just Drive," she said.

Messina provided the following information on some of crashes that happened Thursday and one Friday morning:

At about 7:50 a.m., police responded to the intersection of Old Freehold Road and Church Road for a crash. James Tignini, 19, of Jackson, told police he was southbound on Old Freehold Road and trying to turn left onto Church Road, with a green signal in his direction but not a green arrow. As he slowed to make his turn, he saw an oncoming vehicle but was unable to slow enough to avoid a collision. Tignini lost control and his vehicle overturned onto its driver's side. Pleasant Plains Fire Company responded to stabilize it so he could safely exit.

The drivers were assessed by emergency medical services at the scene and refused further treatment. Both vehicles were towed from the scene. Tignini was issued a summons for failure to yield at an intersection. The accident remains under investigation by Traffic Safety Officer Adam Koeppen.

About an hour later, at 8:50 a.m., police responded to the intersection of Cox Cro Road and Rio Grande Drive for a crash. John Gagliardo, 29, of Toms River, was driving west on Cox Cro Road when the vehicle in front of him stopped as the traffic light turned from yellow to red. Gagliardo did not have enough room to stop and then collided with the vehicle.

Gagliardo refused medical attention at the scene and was issued a summons for careless driving. The accident remains under investigation by Traffic Safety Officer Terry Warren.

About 8:55 a.m., police responded to the intersection of Cox Cro Road and Ticonderoga Drive and found Toby Langer, 23, of Brooklyn, was traveling northbound on Cox Cro Road when she struck an unoccupied vehicle parked on the shoulder of the roadway, and her vehicle overturned.

Langer was treated on scene by Hatzolah EMS, and transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for treatment of her injuries. Langer was issued a summons for careless driving. The accident remains under investigation by Traffic Safety Officer Adam Koeppen.

About 1:20 p.m., police responded to the intersection of Bash Road and Barnegat Avenue and found Sofia Kaganova, 20, of Parlin, was traveling south on Bash Road when she failed to a stop at the stop sign and collided with a vehicle traveling east on Barnegat Avenue.

Both drivers were treated by EMS at the scene and refused further treatment. Both vehicles were towed from the scene. Kaganova was issued a summons for failure to stop and or yield. The accident remains under investigation by Traffic Safety Officer Adam Koeppen.

About 1:40 p.m., police responded to the intersection of Vaughn Avenue and Audubon Drive, and Xenia Rivero, 58, of Toms River, told police she was traveling north on Vaughn Avenue when her vehicle steering pulled to the right and she was unable to pull it back to the left, as the steering had locked. Rivero tried to brake but was unable to stop before striking a bicyclist riding in the shoulder of Vaughn Avenue.

The bicyclist suffered injuries to her left arm and leg and was taken to Community Medical Center for treatment. Rivero’s vehicle was privately towed to a mechanical shop for inspection. The accident remains under investigation by Traffic Safety Officer Michael Cassidy.

On Friday at about 8:15 a.m., police responded to the intersection of Cox Cro Road and Massachusetts Avenue, and the initial investigation found Kathleen Canning, 58, of Toms River, was traveling east on Cox Cro Road and trying to turn left onto Massachusetts Avenue when she hit an oncoming 80,000-pound roll-off truck. The truck's driver tried to brake to avoid the crash, Messina said. As a result of the collision, the roll-off truck drove over the curb and hit a utility pole, snapping it at the base. The utility pole and wires came down and hit the traffic light at the northwest corner of the intersection.

Canning was issued a summons for failure to yield to the right of way an intersection. The accident remains under investigation by Traffic Safety Officer Terry Warren.

Note: This article has been updated to correct the type of bicycle ridden in the crash that injured the bicyclist, based on updated information from the police department.