On Friday, June 13, 2025, at approximately 5:53 pm, officers from the Manchester Township Police Department responded to the area of State Highway 70 and Ridgeway Road, to investigate a motor vehicle crash involving three vehicles.
Upon arrival, officers observed a blue 2009 Ford Expedition, facing south in the intersection with extensive front-end damage. Additionally, officers observed a black 2022 Honda HR-V with extensive passenger side damage facing east in the northbound lane of Ridgeway Road. Officers also observed a white 2024 GMC Yukon with front end damage in the northbound lane of Ridgeway Road.
The investigation revealed that the Honda was traveling west on State Highway 70 and failed to yield to the right of way of the Ford while conducting a left turn onto Ridgeway Road. After initial impact with the Ford, the Honda then rotated approximately 90 degrees and impacted the GMC Yukon which was stopped in traffic on Ridgeway Road. The Ford was operated by 21-year-old William Woodburn Jr. of Mickleton, NJ who sustained non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the crash and did not wish to be transported to the hospital.
The Honda was operated by 33-year-old Michael Schmidt of Toms River, NJ who sustained non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the crash and did not wish to be transported to hospital. The passenger of the Honda 64-year-old Carol Schmidt of Manchester, NJ had to be extricated from the vehicle by emergency personnel on scene. Mrs. Schmidt was flown to Jersey Shore University Medical Hospital by Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health’s LifeFlight medevac helicopter where she is currently listed in stable condition. The GMC was operated by 35-year-old Araceli Hernandez of Toms River, NJ who sustained non-life-threatening injuries as a result of the crash. Mrs. Hernandez was transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River via ambulance.
Assisting at the scene were Emergency Medical Technicians from the Manchester Township Division of Emergency Services, Manchester Volunteer Fire Department, Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Department, Paramedics from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Accurate Towing. The investigation into the crash is still ongoing, but at this point it is believed that failure to yield to the right of way appears to be the primary contributing factor. This crash is being investigated by Ptl. Brendan Brush of the department’s Traffic Safety Unit.