Manchester Man Dies in State Highway 70 Collision

On Sunday, December 1, 2019 at approximately 6:06 pm, officers from the Manchester Township Police Department responded to the area of State Highway 70 and Green Acres Road to investigate a serious motor vehicle collision involving two vehicles.

Upon arrival, officers observed a 2017 Subaru Forester, with heavy front end damage in the eastbound lane of State Highway 70, and a 2000 Honda Accord, with the front end and passenger side detached from the vehicle in the westbound lane of State Highway 70.  The investigation revealed that the Honda Accord was traveling west on State Highway 70 when the vehicle crossed the center line and entered the eastbound travel lane.  The Subaru Forester was traveling eastbound on State Highway 70 and collided head-on with the Honda Accord.  The driver of the Honda, identified as 59 year old Louis Zuffanti, of Manchester, was traveling alone and wearing his seatbelt at the time of the collision.  The front airbags inside the vehicle had deployed, however, he suffered significant injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.  The driver of the Subaru, identified as 51 year old Joaquim Deoliveira, of Toms River, was traveling alone and wearing his seatbelt at the time of the collision.  The front, side curtain, and knee airbags inside the vehicle deployed and he sustained non-life threatening injuries. Mr. Deoliveira was transported to Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune, NJ for treatment and evaluation of his injuries. 

Assisting at the scene were detectives from the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigations Unit, EMTs from Quality Medical Transport, paramedics from MONOC, firefighters from both the Ridgeway and Manchester Volunteer Fire Departments, the NJ DOT Diversion Team, and the Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office.  The investigation into the crash is ongoing, but at this point, vehicle speed and weather conditions appear to be contributing factors.  The roadway was closed for several hours while officers conducted the investigation.  This crash is being investigated by Patrolman Michael O’Hara, Patrolman Michael Anderson, and Sergeant Antonio Ellis of the department’s Traffic Safety Unit.