Crime & Safety

Fatal Accident with 16-Year-Old Pedestrian Near Route 70 and Whitesville Road

Jesse Carbonaro, 16, of Crescent Court, was struck by SUV traveling west, died at scene.

A 16-year-old Toms River resident died while crossing Route 70 at 8:15 p.m., police said, after being struck by a sports utility vehicle traveling westbound on the highway near Whitesville Road.

At 3:20 p.m. Tuesday, Toms River Police identified the pedestrian who was struck by a vehicle on Route 70 on Monday night as Jesse Carbonaro, 16, of Crescent Court, Toms River.

Toms River Police are investigating the fatal pedestrian accident at Route 70 and the entrance to the Crescent Apartments just west of Whitesville Road, said Toms River Police Chief Michael Mastronardy. 

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The chief said 37-year-old Laconda Coleman of Lakehurst was driving a 1997 Chevy Tahoe westbound when she struck Carbonaro who was crossing the state road.

Mastronardy said the Toms River teen, a resident of the apartment complex, was pronounced dead at the scene. 

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Carbonaro, a Toms River High School North student, was described as a caring, funny young man involved in athletics, who could make class enjoyable, according to a facebook page dedicated to the 16 year old.

Toms River Regional Schools spokesperson Tammi Millar said school crisis teams were made available to students today and that "the N.J. Reponse Crisis counselors will be doing neighborhood support," she said.

The accident investigation is being conducted by the traffic safety bureau officers Eugene Bachonski and Robert Westfall.  Assisting in the investigation are the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department and the medical examiner’s office.

Police continue to investigate and released no further details as the incident was ongoing through midnight.

Due to the investigation traffic westbound on Route 70 was closed at Whitesville Road to Hearth Way for three hours with the assistance of the New Jersey Department of Transportation emergency response unit.

Police detoured traffic from Route 70 onto Whitesville southbound to Warner Street through the Homestead Run development and then back onto Hearth Way of the residential area as police investigated through 11:30 p.m.

Eastbound traffic on Route 70 slowed to one lane.

The closed portion of Route 70 westbound merges from two lanes down to one; Route 70 eastbound goes from one lane to two lanes and a left turn lane onto Whitesville northbound, which includes a pedestrian crosswalk.

The Route 70 entrance to Crescent Apartments, a 120-unit affordable housing apartment complex built in 2009, was closed during the investigation.

The accident is still under investigation and any witnesses are urged to contact Traffic Safety Officer Eugene Bachonski at 349-0150.


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