Toms River Man Dies After Convertible Flips In Crash: Police

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Toms River man died Tuesday following a one-car crash on Whitesville Road that snapped a utility pole in three pieces, Toms River police said.

Roy Piazza, 43, was pronounced dead at Community Medical Center following the 5 p.m. crash, said Jillian Messina, media relations specialist for the Toms River Police Department.

He had to be extricated from the crash after his 2005 Chrysler Crossfire convertible flipped, trapping him underneath, Messina said. Toms River firefighters extricated him, and EMTs with the Toms River Police EMS performed CPR while he was en route to the hospital, she said.

Piazza was driving west in the left lane of Route 571 when he lost control of the car and it slid across the right lane head on into the utility pole near the intersection of Whitesville Road and Leawood Avenue. After snapping the pole in three pieces, the car slid up the metal guy wire, then flipped onto the convertible's roof, she said.

Toms River Traffic Safety Officer Mark Nater is investigating.

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