On Saturday, June 12, 2023, at approximately 2:59 pm, members of the Manchester Township Police responded to the area of Congasia Road near the intersection of Sunset Road, for the report of a vehicle that crashed into two parked vehicles and overturned.
Upon arrival, officers observed a white 2021 Subaru Crosstrek overturned on top of a white 2017 Hyundai Elantra with the driver of the Subaru trapped inside the vehicle. First responders were able to stabilize the Subaru and extricate the driver. The driver of the Subaru, 84-year-old, Anna Grissell of Whiting, NJ, sustained injuries to her abdomen and neck. She was observed to have been wearing her seatbelt and the vehicle had side curtain airbag deployment. Mrs. Grissell was transported via medevac helicopter to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center for treatment of her injuries where she is currently listed as non-critical and stable condition.
The investigation revealed that the Subaru was traveling northbound on Congasia Road approaching the intersection of Sunset Road in an area of the roadway that is curved. The Subaru failed to properly negotiate the curve in the roadway. At that point, the Subaru drove off the roadway to the left and struck a sign. The Subaru continued through the intersection of Sunset Road, where it left the roadway a second time. The Subaru then impacted a second sign, went airborne for approximately 50 feet, struck various shrubbery and trees, and ultimately impacted a bush. The bush caused the Subaru to get pushed onto the vehicle’s driver side two tires and subsequently onto the driver side of the vehicle. The Subaru then continued advancing forward, entered the parking lot of Deerfield Hall located at 6 Congasia Road, and impacted two parked vehicles, identified as the Hyundai and a white 2007 Toyota Camry. The impact with the parked vehicles caused the Subaru to vault into the air and land on top of the Hyundai. The Hyundai and Toyota were both unoccupied at the time of the crash.
Assisting at the scene were members of the Joint Base Fire Department, Whiting Volunteer Fire Department, United States Air Force Rescue, Emergency Medical Technicians and Firefighters from the Manchester Township Division of Emergency Services, Robert Wood John University Hospital Paramedics, and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital LifeFlight Medevac Helicopter. The investigation into the crash is still ongoing, but at this point, a medical episode suffered by Mrs. Grissell while she was operating her vehicle appears to be the primary contributing factor. This crash is being investigated by Ptl. Michael O’Hara of the department’s Traffic Safety Unit.