Manchester Twp NJ – On Wednesday, October 3, 2021, at approximately 2:58 am, officers from the Manchester Township Police Department responded to State Highway 37 near Mile Marker 1.5, to investigate a motor vehicle crash. It was reported that the crash involved a vehicle that struck a deer and was then struck by a tractor-trailer tanker truck, which overturned and exploded, setting the surrounding area on fire.
Upon arrival, officers observed a deceased deer and a 2017 Honda Civic with extensive front-end damage in the eastbound lanes of the roadway. Approximately one hundred feet beyond that, and also in the eastbound lanes, was the overturned tanker trailer. Also observed was the tractor portion of the truck, on the shoulder of the westbound portion of the roadway.
The investigation revealed that the Honda was traveling east on Route 37, when a deer entered the roadway in front of the vehicle, causing the Honda to strike the deer, spin, and become disabled in the roadway. The driver, identified as 18-year-old Marissa Patterson of Forked River, exited her vehicle and stood at a safe location off to the side of the roadway to contact police. While doing so, a 2006 Mac tractor pulling a 2003 tanker trailer filled with 8700 gallons of gasoline, was also traveling eastbound on SH 37 and being operated by 46-year-old Svilen Ivanov of Voorhees. The Mac then collided with the Honda, propelling the Honda forward and causing the Mac to swerve and strike the concrete center barrier. The Mac then separated from its trailer, traveled over the concrete barrier, and came to its position of final rest on the westbound shoulder of SH 37. The trailer then overturned in the eastbound lanes, causing the gasoline to spill and explode. The explosion set fire to both lanes of the roadway, compromising its integrity, and damaging surrounding businesses and the adjacent wooded area.
There were no reported injuries to the vehicle occupants, however, Ivanov was transported to Community Medical Center for precautionary reasons. SH 37 was completely closed in both directions during the investigation and will remain closed during decontamination and cleanup.
Assisting at the scene were members of the Manchester Volunteer Fire Department, Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Department, Manchester EMS, Manchester Emergency Management, Berkeley Hazmat Unit, Lakehurst and Toms River Police Departments, Ocean County Sheriff’s Department, Ocean County Department of Health, New Jersey State Police, NJ Department of Transportation, NJ Department of Environmental Protection, and Jersey Central Power & Light.
The investigation into the crash is still ongoing, and it is being investigated by Patrolman Jesse Hoydis, Patrolman Michael O’Hara, and Sgt. Paul Bachovchin of the department’s Traffic Safety Unit.
Photos by OCSO
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