TOMS RIVER: Yesterday OCSN was made aware of a serious crash on CR 571 (Whitesville Road) near Leawood involving three or four vehicles. As more details came in, we learned the crash involved a NJ State Trooper SUV, Toms River School Bus, Comcast Truck, and unknown fourth vehicle. Thankfully the school bus didn’t have students on board, and the driver sustained no injuries. The New Jersey State Police SUV did spin out and strike the oncoming bus- then a road sign, and utility pole, ultimately resting on the lawn with airbags deployed. The at-fault motorist has been identified as Heather Scoville, a 36 y/o Toms River resident- and now known as a poor decision maker. Initially Ms. Scoville came around the curve in the roadway as she was traveling east on 571 in the left lane near Leawood. This is a sharp curve on a clear dry day, but add in rain and her being under the influence of drugs or alcohol- makes for her being unable to properly negotiate the curve. Heather’s unidentified vehicle first sideswiped an oncoming vehicle, the Comcast Van, as she entered the westbound lanes going east on CR 571. After sideswiping the Comcast van, causing that driver to be extricated by emergency personnel, Ms. Scoville then struck the marked NJSP SUV. Once the trooper’s Explorer spun out of control, it struck the oncoming Toms River school bus- which was thankfully unoccupied. Just because the bus had no students on board this time, 8:00 AM is a reasonable time of day to expect kids on buses. Finally all vehicles came to rest, and the Trooper immediately began checking on injuries of others involved.

As of the press release, Heather Scoville has been cited with Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol, Reckless Driving, and Failure to Maintain a Lane. TRPD notes this accident is still under investigation. All drivers were wearing their seat belts, and only one victim was transported to the hospital for minor injuries. This whole crash could have been terribly and fatally worse- and happened because Heather Scoville was operating her motor vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol at 8:00 in the morning. Being 36 years old she likely should know better.

TRPD (Official Press Release): On Monday, March 1, 2021, at approximately 8:00 AM police units were dispatched to Whitesville Rd, near the intersection of Leawood Ave for a reported multi-vehicle crash. Heather Scoville, 36 of Toms River, was traveling east on Whitesville Road in the left lane. As Ms. Scoville was negotiating a curve in the roadway, she failed to keep right and entered the westbound traffic lane where she sideswiped an oncoming vehicle. After the initial impact, Ms. Scoville continued east in the westbound lane where she struck a marked New Jersey State Police SUV, causing the Trooper’s vehicle to spin and strike an oncoming Toms River School bus, a street sign, and ultimately a utility pole, severely damaging it. The bus did not have students in it at the time of the collision. All drivers were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash. One victim was transported to the hospital for minor injuries sustained in the accident. Ms. Scoville was cited with Driving Under the Influence of Drugs or Alcohol, Reckless Driving, and Failure to Maintain a Lane. The accident is under investigation by Toms River Traffic Safety Officer Robert Westfall and Traffic Safety Officer Mark Nater.

Ocean County Scanner News maintains a ZERO tolerance/leniency policy for articles involving DWI/DUI/OUI motor vehicle incidents and crashes. We will post all and any stories we can with all publicly available information. *Special thanks to all our readers who sent in photos, videos, and witness accounts of this crash for our story.

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