MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A dump truck overturned on State Highway 70 on Wednesday morning, leaving the driver with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
The crash occurred around 11:48 a.m. near Green Acres Road as the driver, 65-year-old David Santana of Point Pleasant, attempted to turn left into the entrance of the Ocean County Landfill. Authorities said Santana was traveling west at a high rate of speed and lost control while braking, causing the 2004 Mack dump truck to overturn onto its passenger side.
Emergency responders arrived to find the overturned truck near the intersection. Santana sustained multiple injuries and was transported to Ocean Medical Center for treatment and evaluation.
Police temporarily closed parts of the roadway to allow for cleanup and investigation. Multiple agencies, including the Manchester Township Division of Emergency Services, Manchester Volunteer Fire Department, and Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Department, assisted at the scene. Priced Rite Towing and Accurate Towing were also called in to remove the vehicle.
The New Jersey State Department of Transportation provided assistance with traffic control as crews worked to clear the highway. No other vehicles were involved in the crash, and authorities did not report any additional injuries.
Officials said unsafe speed appears to be the primary contributing factor, though the investigation remains ongoing. Ptl. Brendan Brush of the department’s Traffic Safety Unit is leading the case.