Toms River: On Sunday October 4, 2020 at approximately 6:34 pm, multiple police units responded to a traffic collision at Ridgeway Rd and Whitesville Rd. Carmelo Rodriguez, 66 of Manchester, was operating a 2003 Toyota Sequoia on Ridgeway Road (Route 571) in an eastbound direction, entering Toms River from Manchester Township. Mr. Rodriguez was in the left turn lane which allows access to northbound Whitesville Road. Emily Westervelt-Mullig, age 17, of Manchester, was operating a 2014 Nissan Pathfinder west on Route 571/527 Whitesville Road and was traveling in the left lane. Both vehicles had a solid green traffic signal. In the process of executing a left turn, Mr. Rodriguez turned into the path of the Nissan, causing a collision. The impact caused the Nissan to move right, impact a curb and subsequently overturn. This vehicle came to rest overturned within the right lane of Ridgeway Road.

Mr. Rodriguez was transported to Monmouth Medical South (KMC) in Lakewood NJ for minor injuries by Pleasant Plains First Aid. He was subsequently charged DUI 39:4-50 and other motor vehicle violations. Ms. Westervelt-Mullig and all passengers were transported to Community Medical Center in Toms River NJ for their injuries by Toms River and Pleasant Plains EMS. The collision was investigated by Ptl. Mark Nater of the TRPD Traffic Safety Unit.