On Friday, August 23, 2019, at approximately 5:12 pm, officers from the Manchester Township Police Department responded to the intersection of State Highway 70 and County Road 571 to investigate a motor vehicle accident involving two vehicles. Initial reports indicated that the two vehicles were still in the roadway and that one of the vehicles was overturned.

Upon arrival, officers observed a black, Lexus RX330 on its driver’s side in the middle of the intersection. The vehicle had significant passenger side damage. Also in the roadway was a black, Honda Accord which had front end damage.  The investigation revealed that the Honda was traveling east on Route 70 through the intersection of Route 571 when it collided with the Lexus which was turning left at the intersection, from Route 70 west onto Route 571 south.  The driver of the Honda, identified as 20-year-old, Oscar Balcarcel of Lakewood, was traveling alone at the time of the crash and not wearing his seatbelt. The front airbag inside the vehicle deployed, but Mr. Balcarcel still sustained a laceration to his head. As a result, he was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune for treatment of his injury. The driver of the Lexus, 45-year-old Sean Spitz, of Wayne was traveling with his wife and son at the time of the crash.  Both he and his occupants were wearing their seatbelts and his vehicle’s side airbags deployed during the crash. Despite overturning, the occupants from the Lexus sustained only minor injuries and were transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River for treatment and evaluation. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Assisting at the scene were EMTs from Quality Medical Transport, paramedics from MONOC, and volunteers firefighters from both the Ridgeway and Manchester Fire Departments.  This crash is being investigated by Patrolman Michael O’Hara of the department’s Traffic Safety Unit.