Toms River Woman Dead, Husband Critical in Afternoon Accident

Police continue to investigate a Sunday afternoon accident at Route 70 and Massachusetts Avenue in Toms River that claimed the life of a township woman, and sent her husband to a trauma center.

The names of the victims were not released, pending notification of family members, Toms River Police Chief Michael Mastronardy said. They were identified as a 77-year-old woman and an 88-year-old man.

The 5:15 p.m. accident occurred as the man was driving the couple's Toyota southbound on Massachusetts Avenue. He was making a left turn when the car collided with a northbound Ford F-250 pickup truck, Mastronardy said.

The woman was transported to Kimball Medical Center in Lakewood where she was pronounced dead. Her husband was flown by helicopter to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune. The driver of the pickup refused medical attention, Mastronardy said.

Pleasant Plains Fire Company responded to the scene for extrication, and traffic was delayed in the area for two hours during the investigation, according to the chief.