TOMS RIVER, NJ – A Toms River police officer was responding to an emergency call of a boating crash on the barrier island when he was struck on Sunday by a vehicle at the intersection of Route 37 and Fischer Boulevard.
According to the Toms River Police Department, at around 9 pm on Sunday, Brian Ayres, 55 of Pearl River New York was traveling in the left lane heading west on Route 37 when he struck a police vehicle.
“Mr. Ayres stated that he did not see the emergency lights of the Toms River Police patrol car before striking it on the driver’s side,” police said in their report released today. “According to witnesses at the scene, all other traffic had stopped and yielded to the emergency vehicle.”
Toms River Police Department spokeswoman Jillian Messing said the officer was responding to an emergency call on the barrier island where seven people were reportedly thrown from a boat, he had his emergency lights and siren activated at the time of the collision.
“Mr. Ayres and the officer only suffered minor injuries as a result of the crash and refused medical treatment. Both vehicles sustained extensive damage and were towed from the scene,” Messina said. “Mr. Ayres was issued a summons for failure to yield to an emergency vehicle.”