JACKSON TOWNSHIP, N.J. – Authorities have identified the two victims killed in a fiery early morning crash Friday near the Lakewood border as Dovid Yitzchok Handler and Chaim Zelig Beril.
The deadly incident occurred on North Hope Chapel Road, where a small SUV veered off the roadway and slammed into a tree before catching fire. The crash prompted a major emergency response and led to the closure of the area by police.
Handler and Beril were pronounced dead at the scene. According to authorities, multiple other individuals were also inside the vehicle at the time of the crash. They were transported to Jersey Shore Medical Center for treatment. Their conditions have not yet been publicly disclosed.
Police from both Jackson and Lakewood, along with investigators from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department, responded to the scene. The vehicle, which appeared to be traveling northbound, sustained extensive front-end damage, indicating a high-impact collision with the tree.
Yellow crime scene tape surrounded the wreckage as investigators worked throughout the morning to determine the cause of the crash. No official explanation has been released, and the total number of casualties remains unconfirmed at this time.
