Wall Woman Hurt, Charged With DWI After Car Goes Airborne, Lands In Circle: Police

WALL, NJ -- A Wall Township woman has been charged with driving while intoxicated after a two-car collision Sunday afternoon that left her seriously injured after her car went airborne and wound up on its roof in the middle of the Allenwood circle, police said.

Kathleen Stankus, 53, of Wall, is hospitalized at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, Detective Lt. Greg Carpino said Tuesday.

Stanku was northbound on Route 34 approaching the Allenwood Circle about 4 p.m. Sunday when her Acura MDX failed to negotiate the curve entering the circle and left the road, Carpino said. Her car became airborne and hit an Inifiniti G37S that was yielding to traffic entering the circle northbound from Route 34, and Stankus's car overturned, coming to rest on its roof, he said.

Stankus had to be extricated from her car, he said, and was taken to the hospital. The driver of the Infiniti, a 53-year-old man from Hillsborough, suffered minor injuries and was treated at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Carpino said.

The crash resulted in the closure of Route 34 north near Allaire Road for about an hour and a half while the crash was cleaned up, he said.

Stankus was charged with driving while intoxicated, reckless driving and failure to maintain lane, he said.

The NJ Department of Transportation Emergency Response assisted with traffic, and the Glendola Fire Department, MONOC, Wall First Aid and Wall EMS all responded to the scene and assisted.

The crash remains under investigation, Carpino said. Witnesses are asked to contact Ptl. Gavaghan or Ptl. Mazzaccaro of the Wall Township Police Department at 732-449-4500.