A head-on collision on County Route 539 in Manchester Township on Thursday afternoon resulted in the death of one driver and sent another to the hospital with minor injuries, police said.
According to the Manchester Township Police Department, officers responded to the crash around mile marker 26.5 of County Route 539. Upon arrival, officers found a grey 2016 Toyota Tacoma with extensive damage resting on the northbound dirt shoulder, and a blue 2024 Ford Maverick heavily damaged in the wooded area off the southbound side of the roadway.
Police identified the driver of the Toyota as 55-year-old Jose Rodriguez-Morales of Levittown, Pennsylvania. He sustained minor injuries and was transported to Community Medical Center. A passenger in the Toyota, 39-year-old Jesus Torres, also of Levittown, was uninjured. Both occupants were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash.
The driver of the Ford, 77-year-old Danny R. Coleman of Whiting, New Jersey, suffered a suspected medical emergency prior to the crash. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.
Preliminary investigation indicates that Coleman’s vehicle crossed the centerline while traveling southbound and struck the driver’s side rear of the northbound Toyota. After the impact, the Ford continued off the roadway and came to rest against a tree. The Toyota overturned and came to rest on the opposite side of the road.
Emergency personnel from the Manchester Township Division of Emergency Services, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department, the Ocean County Road Department, and Priced Rite Towing assisted at the scene. The roadway was closed for several hours during the investigation.
The crash remains under investigation by Patrolman Conner Yatauro of the Manchester Township Police Department’s Traffic Safety Unit. Authorities believe the primary contributing factor was a medical emergency.