On Tuesday evening, a serious motor vehicle collision at the intersection of Hope Chapel and Ridgeway in Manchester Township left two individuals injured and caused significant traffic disruptions.
Manchester police officers responded to the scene at approximately 6:19 p.m. They found a blue 2004 BMW with severe front-end damage facing southbound in the northeast corner of the intersection and a white 2022 Nissan Altima off the roadway with similar extensive damage.
Preliminary investigation revealed that the BMW, driven by a juvenile from Manchester, was traveling northbound on Hope Chapel through a traffic signal. Simultaneously, the Nissan Altima, driven by 39-year-old Jason Safoschnik, also of Manchester, was traveling eastbound on Ridgeway and attempting to turn left onto northbound Hope Chapel. During the turn, the front ends of both vehicles collided.
The impact caused the BMW to spin 180 degrees clockwise and crash into a traffic signal pole before coming to a stop. The Nissan was pushed off the roadway, where it came to rest on the west side of County Route 547.
The juvenile driver of the BMW sustained serious leg injuries and was transported by ambulance to Community Medical Center, where he is listed in stable condition. Safoschnik suffered internal injuries and was airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center by Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health’s LifeFlight medevac helicopter. He is also listed in stable condition.
According to authorities, failure to observe the traffic signal appears to be a primary contributing factor.