A 24-year-old motorcyclist from Brick was killed Saturday afternoon in a violent crash that left his vehicle engulfed in flames and closed a major roadway for several hours.
At approximately 3:22 p.m. on April 19, officers from the Manchester Township Police Department responded to the intersection of State Highway 37 and Colonial Drive following reports of a serious motor vehicle crash involving a motorcycle.
When first responders arrived, they found a red 2007 Honda CBR motorcycle fully engulfed in flames in the center of the intersection. Nearby, a white 2020 Honda Accord was located on the eastbound side of Route 37, showing extensive damage to the driver’s side.
According to the initial investigation, the motorcycle, operated by William C. Swiderski of Brick, was traveling west on Route 37 when it entered the intersection and collided with the Honda Accord, which was traveling southbound on Colonial Drive. The force of the impact sent the motorcycle off the roadway, ejecting Swiderski more than 140 feet onto the eastbound shoulder of the highway. The motorcycle then caught fire.
Swiderski was transported by ambulance to Community Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead from his injuries. The driver of the Accord, identified as 20-year-old Job Martinez del Villar of Manchester, was also taken to Community Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
The crash prompted a full closure of the intersection for several hours as emergency crews responded and investigators assessed the scene.
The investigation remains ongoing. However, police say speed and failure to obey a traffic signal appear to be contributing factors.
