'Smart, Sassy, Beautiful Little Girl' Fighting For Life After Route 70 Crash, Family Says

TOMS RIVER, NJ — The family of a 4-year-old girl says their "smart, sassy, beautiful little girl" is fighting to survive following the Route 70 crash on Thursday that left her critically injured.

Isabella has undergone one surgery and faces "several more surgeries" to recover from injuries she suffered in the crash, her aunt, Gabby Koehler, wrote in a GoFundMe campaign she created.

Isabella was in a Subaru Impreza that was hit by a Jackson man with a suspended license who ran a red light at the intersection with Massachusetts Avenue, Koehler said.

The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office has not identified any of the children or the man in the car that was hit by Charles J. Sharkey Jr., 33, of Jackson, but said one child was in critical condition following the crash. The man and all three children were injured, but only Isabella remains hospitalized.

Sharkey has been charged with four counts of aggravated assault, four counts of assault by auto, unlawful taking of a means of conveyance, causing death or injury while driving with a suspended or revoked driver’s license, and multiple motor vehicle summonses, Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said. He also had two outstanding arrest warrants, Billhimer said. Read more: Suspended Driver Ran Red Light In Route 70 Crash, Child 'Critical': Prosecutor

Sharkey, who had two outstanding arrest warrants, was talking on his cell phone and had taken the U-Haul pickup truck from the person who rented it without their permission, the prosecutor said.

"Isabella is a smart, sassy, beautiful little girl that loves nothing more than dancing and smiling," Koehler said. She will be hospitalized for an unknown length of time, and Koehler said she set up the GoFundMe to help her sister and brother-in-law with the medical bills and the other expenses that result from Isabella's hospitalization. "The last thing any parent dealing with something like this should have to worry about is the financials."

"Isabella is currently in critical condition in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit being the strong brave little girl that she is, fighting so hard," Koehler wrote. "No child deserves to go through this, nor should any mother or father have to see their child like this. We appreciate any support that is given right now. Please continue to pray for our little princess."

The GoFundMe had raised more than $30,000 as of 7 p.m. Saturday. Those who wish to donate can find information at this link.

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