2 Toms River Women Injured, 1 Airlifted, After 5-Vehicle Chain Reaction Crash

MANCHESTER, NJ — Three people were injured Sunday, including two who were flown to a trauma center, after a five-vehicle chain-reaction rear-end crash on Manchester Boulevard Sunday, Manchester police said Monday.

David Williams, 60, of Jackson, and Mary Ferguson, 53, of Toms River, were flown to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune following the crash that happened shortly before 11 a.m. Sunday, Manchester Lt. James Komsa said. Both suffered head injuries in the crash, he said.

Dominque Swain, 26, of Toms River, was taken to Community Medical Center for the treatment for neck and back injuries, he said.

Williams was driving a gray 2010 Honda Accord west on Manchester Boulevard when he failed to see the traffic ahead was stopped at a red traffic signal at Lacey Road, Komsa said.

Williams rear-ended a blue 2018 Nissan Kick driven by Ferguson, and the impact sent her car across the center line into the opposing lane of travel, Komsa said.

Williams' Honda kept going forward, hitting the rear of a silver 2008 Saturn Aurora driven by Swain. The Saturn then hit the rear of a silver 2012 Toyota Tundra driven by Tina Helbig, 67, of Manchester, and the Toyota hit a gray 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe driven by Beverly Muhammad, 73, of Whiting, Komsa said.

Ferguson had to be extricated from the Nissan by the Whiting Volunteer Fire Company, he said, and the force of the crash caused air bags to deploy in the Nissan, the Honda and the Saturn.

Tina Helbig and her front-seat passenger, Carolyn Helbig, 87, also of Manchester, and Beverly Muhammad and her front-seat passenger, Abdul Muhammad, 83, also of Whiting, all refused medical attention, Komsa said.

A 2-year-old boy and a 13-year-old boy from Brick, who were passengers in Ferguson's Nissan, were properly restrained and a parent refused medical attention for them, Komsa said.

Manchester Boulevard was closed for several hours and traffic was diverted during the treatment of victims and accident investigation.

Assisting at the scene were Robert Wood Johnson paramedics, EMTs with the Manchester Emergency Medical Services, Hackensack Meridian Medevac Helicopter Services, Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and the Whiting Volunteer Fire Department.

Manchester Sgt. Ian Bole is investigating.