Tanker truck overturns as snow begins to fall at the shore

Tanker Truck Overturns as Snow Begins to Fall at the Shore

MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ-On Wednesday February 20, 2019, at approximately 12:00 pm, officers from the Manchester Township Police Department responded to the intersection of County Route 571 (Ridgeway Road) and State Highway 70 to investigate a motor vehicle crash involving an overturned fuel oil tanker.

Upon arrival, officers observed a 1986, Ford tanker truck overturned on the passenger side in the southbound lanes of Ridgeway Road leaking fuel oil. The investigation revealed that the tanker was travelling north on Ridgeway Road towards the intersection of Route 70 when the driver lost control of the vehicle and attempted to stop suddenly on the slippery, snow covered road surface. While doing so, the driver, identified as 66-year-old, Ronald Schwieters of Beachwood, overcorrected and crossed into the southbound travel lanes of Ridgeway Road. In doing so, the vehicle struck the concrete curb and overturned onto its side. While on its side, the vehicle began to leak a small amount of fuel oil. The leak was quickly addressed by the responding emergency services personnel which helped to prevent any significant impact to the environment.

 

Tanker truck overturns as snow begins to fall at the shoreSchwieters was transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River for evaluation and treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The roadway was closed for several hours during the investigation and cleanup.
Assisting at the scene were members of the Manchester Volunteer Fire Department, Manchester Volunteer First Aid Squad and Berkeley Hazmat Unit. Also assisting were members of the Manchester Office of Emergency Management, the Ocean County Road Department, and the Ocean County Health Department.

The investigation into this crash is still ongoing, however, driver error in reacting to poor roadway conditions appears to be a contributing factor. This crash is being investigated by Sergeant Antonio Elllis and Patrolman Michael Anderson of the department’s Traffic Safety Unit.

Shore News Network

Phil Stilton is the Editor and Publisher of Shore News Network, an independent digital newsroom providing original reporting on New Jersey, national news, government, public policy, public safety, courts, and community affairs.

As founder of the publication, Stilton leads editorial strategy, investigative reporting, and daily newsroom operations while overseeing coverage that reaches millions of readers annually.

With extensive experience covering municipal government, county government, state legislatures, elections, law enforcement, emergency management, and public records, Stilton specializes in translating complex government actions into clear, factual reporting. His work frequently relies on primary source documents, including court filings, legislation, public meeting records, election finance disclosures, government databases, police reports, and Freedom of Information and Open Public Records Act (OPRA) requests. He has reported extensively on local government accountability, taxpayer spending, campaign finance, public corruption investigations, infrastructure, public safety, and the policies affecting New Jersey residents.

Under Stilton's editorial leadership, Shore News Network has grown into one of New Jersey's largest independent digital news organizations, publishing thousands of original news articles each year while providing breaking news coverage, investigative reporting, and analysis across state and local government. The publication's reporting is routinely sourced from official government agencies, public officials, court records, and firsthand documentation, with a commitment to transparency, attribution, corrections when warranted, and clearly distinguishing factual reporting from opinion.

Stilton's journalism follows established newsroom standards emphasizing accuracy, verification, fairness, and accountability. Every effort is made to verify information through official records and multiple reliable sources before publication. His reporting is intended to provide readers with timely, well-documented information that helps them understand the issues affecting their communities, while maintaining editorial independence from political parties, government agencies, advocacy organizations, and commercial interests.

Readers can submit story tips, corrections, public records, or media inquiries through the official Shore News Network website or its verified social media channels. Shore News Network welcomes corrections and updates when new information becomes available as part of its ongoing commitment to accurate and transparent journalism.