Toms River Woman May Face Charges In Fiery Jackson Crash

A Toms River woman may be facing charges in connection with a head-on crash in Jackson Saturday that injured a Toms River woman and her daughter, according to a report.

The Asbury Park Press is reporting that Nicole Frank, 23, was driving a 2001 Kia that collided head-on with a 2004 Jeep shortly after 10 a.m. Saturday, severely injuring Carol Mazza, 50, of Toms River, and also injuring Mazza’s 8-year-old daughter.

The report says Frank, who also was severely injured, had blood drawn at the scene of the crash after county detectives obtained a search warrant, according to Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office spokesman Al Della Fave. The investigation is continuing, pending the results of the blood test, the Press report said.

According to a news release from Jackson Township Police Capt. Steven Laskiewicz, Frank was southbound on Route 571 between Leesville and Reed roads when her car crossed the center line and hit the Jeep head-on.

As a result of the crash, the Jeep caught fire; witnesses pulled Mazza and her daughter out of the Jeep, Laskiewicz said, and worked to put out the flames until firefighters arrived.

Frank was not wearing her seatbelt, Laskiewicz said, and had to be extricated from the Kia before she was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, for treatment.

Mazza and her daughter both were wearing seatbelts, he said. The daughter was medevaced to Jersey Shore Medical Centerl for treatment while Mazza was taken there by ambulance. Both suffered extensive injuries, Della Fave told the Press.

The investigation is being conducted by Jackson Township Police Officers Trevor Crowley and Joseph Candido. Anyone with any information on this crash is asked to contact them at 732-928-1111.

Also responding were personnel from Fire Stations 54 and 56, Quality First Aid, Monoc, NJSP, Ocean County Sheriff’s Department CIU, Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Jackson Police Department patrol officers and supervisors and the Traffic Safety Unit.