UPDATE: Two Dead In Crash; Others Hospitalized In Toms River, Elsewhere

By Patch Staff

Two people, including a 28-year-old Brant Beach man, died and three others were hospitalized late Sunday after a car crash on Route 539 in Manchester, police said.

Shannon B. Fenton of Brant Beach and 19-year old Sefakor A. Mensah of Monroe were pronounced dead after they were hospitalized late Sunday. 

The driver of a Volkswagon Jetta, 19-year-old Alexandra E. Peroni of Norwalk, Ct., suffered fractures in both elbows and ankles and was transported from Southern Ocean County Hospital in Manahawkin to a local hospital in Connecticut in stable condition.

The front-seat passenger of the  Volkswagon, 19-year-old Danielle M. Godley of Floral Park, N.Y., suffered injuries to her chest, arms, and legs, and was listed in stable condition at Community Medical Center. 

The driver of a BMW Z3, 51-year-old Claire T. Kinsella from New York ,suffered head and chest injuries.  She is currently listed in stable condition at Community Medical Center, police said.  

At approximately 7:47 p.m., a gray 2009 Nissan Altima was traveling south on County Route 539, near milepost 21, when it crossed into the northbound lane and collided with a gray 2001 BMW Z3 convertible, police said. 

The Nissan Altima, driven by Fenton, continued south in the northbound lane and then collided head on with the Volkswagon, which was traveling north on Route 539. 

Mensah was the rear-seat passenger of the Volkswagon Jetta, police said.

Assisting at the scene was the Whiting Volunteer Fire Department, Bamber Lake and Lakehurst Fire Department, Paramedics from MONOC, Quality Medical Transport, the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, the Ocean County Criminalistic Investigation Unit, the NJ DOT Diversionary Team, and the Ocean County Road Department. 

The crash remains under investigation by Patrolmen Paul Bachovchin and Patrolmen Ian Bole from the Manchester Township Traffic Safety Bureau.