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Crime & Safety

Accidents Snarl Route 37 Traffic

The drivers in both single-vehicle accidents are charged with driving under the influence.

Route 37 was a tough place to be late Saturday afternoon, after two separate accidents on the eastbound side of the road caused traffic delays both directions between the Garden State Parkway and the bridges to and from Seaside.

Edward Blayer, 44, of Waretown, and John Chester, 69, of Hope, Fla., each were charged with driving under the influence in the separate crashes, according to Toms River Police Chief Mike Mastronardy.

The first accident occurred on the eastbound side of Route 37 at Thomas Avenue. Blayer, driving a 1986 GMC pickup, struck a utility pole in front of the Ocean County Republican Headquarters, damaging the pole.

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At least two lanes were closed eastbound during the accident investigation, according to Toms River Patch Editor Catherine Galioto, who was traveling through the area at the time.

Eastbound traffic was backed up under the Garden State Parkway to Hospital Drive, she said, while westbound traffic was backed up from the accident site to Clifton Avenue due to rubbernecking.

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Blayer was not injured in the crash, but he was arrested by Officer James Skrinko and Traffic Safety Corporal Gary Flynn on a warrant out of Woodbridge, in addition to the DUI charge, Mastronardy said.

As police were dealing with that accident, Chester, who was headed east on Route 37 in a 2004 Chevrolet, hit a pole with a Department of Transportation weather station just east of the Mathis Bridge. Neither Chester nor his passenger, Kenneth Weber of Brick, were injured, but Traffic Safety Officer Steven Schwartz arrested Chester on charges of driving under the influence. He also was charged with reckless driving, Mastronardy said.

Toms River police and the New Jersey State Police have been patrolling more heavily this weekend looking for careless drivers and drivers who are under the influence, and that focus will continue through the weekend, Mastronardy said.

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