TOMS RIVER, N.J. — A Manchester Township man accused of driving the wrong way on Route 37 before causing a head-on crash that injured three people tried to flee into nearby woods and assaulted a police K-9 during his arrest, prosecutors said Tuesday.
Andrew Gajewski, 30, now faces multiple criminal charges after investigators say he crashed a 2022 Ford F-150 into a 2021 GMC Acadia Sunday night near Batchelor Street in Toms River. Ocean County prosecutors allege Gajewski fled the wreckage on foot while injured victims remained trapped at the scene.
The collision happened around 8:30 p.m., shutting down part of Route 37 as emergency crews responded to what authorities described as a serious head-on crash.
Driver Allegedly Fled Into Woods After Collision
Officers arriving at the scene found both vehicles heavily damaged, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office. The driver of the GMC Acadia suffered serious injuries and was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where he remained in stable condition.
A passenger in the GMC and a passenger riding in Gajewski’s pickup truck were transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River for treatment before being released.
Investigators said Gajewski ran from the crash site before officers tracked him into a wooded area nearby.
Police said he physically resisted arrest and injured a Toms River Police Department K-9 during the confrontation before officers finally took him into custody.
Key Points
• Prosecutors say Andrew Gajewski drove wrong way on Route 37 before head-on crash
• Three people injured; one victim hospitalized with serious injuries
• Defendant accused of fleeing scene, resisting arrest, and injuring police K-9
Authorities transported Gajewski to Community Medical Center for injuries sustained during his apprehension.
Investigators at the scene observed signs of intoxication, prosecutors said, leading detectives to obtain a court-authorized warrant for a blood draw as part of the ongoing investigation.
Prosecutors Say Driver Was Speeding Before Crash
The Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad, Toms River Township Police Department, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit determined Gajewski had allegedly been speeding and driving recklessly shortly before the collision.
Investigators said he crossed into the wrong side of the roadway before striking the GMC head-on.
Gajewski has been charged with:
- Leaving the Scene of a Motor Vehicle Crash Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury
- Three counts of Assault by Auto
- Resisting Arrest
- Injuring an Animal Used by a Law Enforcement Agency
He also received several traffic summonses, including reckless driving, careless driving, failure to maintain lane, leaving the scene of a crash causing injury, and failure to report an accident.
The case adds to a growing number of serious crashes along Route 37, one of Ocean County’s busiest east-west corridors connecting Toms River to shore communities.
Additional Charges Possible
Prosecutors said the investigation remains active and additional charges could still be filed pending toxicology results and further review of evidence collected from the crash scene.
Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer credited the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crime Unit-Vehicular Homicide Squad, Toms River Township Police Department, Toms River Police Department K-9 Unit, and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigation Unit for their work on the case.
Gajewski remains hospitalized under custody at Community Medical Center. Prosecutors said he will be transferred to the Ocean County Jail once released from the hospital and held pending a detention hearing.
