TOMS RIVER, NJ – One person was killed after the vehicle he was driving ended up overturning into a marsh along Hooper Avenue in Toms River on Saturday. Police believe speed was a factor in the crash.
According to police, the incident happened near the intersection of Hooper Avenue and South Shore Drive at around 2:25 am.
Upon their arrival at the motor vehicle crash involving a reported entrapment, police found a vehicle that was located in the marsh, flipped over, and the occupants were trapped inside.
The two passengers were uninjured and were able to free themselves, however, the driver, Paolo Helfers-Lariva, 28, of Toms River, was trapped and submerged in the water.
In an effort to free the driver, multiple officers enter the water. Eventually, the driver was freed with the assistance of Silverton EMS and the Silverton Fire Department, and CPR was immediately initiated.
Helfers-Lariva was transported to Community Medical Center where, following extensive efforts, he was pronounced dead.
An initial investigation revealed that the vehicle had been traveling south on Hooper Avenue at a high speed when it lost control and left the roadway, struck a pole, and overturned in the marsh. Also assisting on scene was the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department CSI Unit. Toms River Traffic Safety Officer, Corporal Terry Warren, is currently investigating the accident.