At 13:55 hours on March 7, 2014, a two vehicle crash occurred on South Colonial Drive in front of the Manchester Township High School. A 2004 Dodge Neon operated by a 17-year-old Manchester resident was traveling east out of the high school driveway entrance when it collided with a 2002 Bluebird school bus operated by James I. Kovacs, 77 of Whiting. The impact occurred as the Neon entered South Colonial Drive in the path of the school bus. After initial impact, the Neon rotated counterclockwise approximately 90 degrees before coming to rest on the northbound berm portion of the roadway. The school bus stopped in the roadway, in a southward facing direction. Mr. Kovacs was traveling alone on south on South Colonial Drive and was wearing his seatbelt at the time of the collision. The juvenile driver of the Neon was extricated from the vehicle and transported to Jersey Shore University Hospital for a head injury and face lacerations. The juvenile was traveling with two siblings, both also age 17. All occupants were wearing their seatbelts and both front airbags deployed. The juvenile passengers of the Neon were both transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River for minor injuries to legs and lower extremities. Mr. Kovacs was not injured in the collision.
Assisting at the scene were Manchester First Aid, Quality Medical Transport, Manchester Fire Department, Manchester OEM (Art Abline) and MONOC Paramedics. The crash is under investigation by Ptl. Douglas Higgins of the Manchester Police Traffic Safety Section.