Portion of Route 166 in Toms River Closed After Freehold Driver Hits Pole

A motor vehicle accident has closed all lanes of Route 166 near Dayton Avenue, with reports of a downed utility pole at 2:30 p.m. today.

Utility crews and police are responding to the area and motorists are urged to avoid Route 166, also known as Main Street, in downtown Toms River.

Toms River Police responded to an accident just before 2 p.m. on Friday afternoon at Main Street and Seward Avenue.

Toms River Police Chief Michael Mastronardy said Lourdes Persinger, 73, of Freehold, was traveling northbound in her 2009 Toyota when her vehicle left the roadway and struck a utility pole. 

Persinger was transported by Toms River Police EMS to community Medical Center with minor injury, the police chief said.

“Traffic southbound was detoured down Highland Parkway and northbound traffic was detoured onto Dayton Avenue with the assistance of the New Jersey State DOT emergency response unit,” Mastronardy said.

Traffic Safety Corporal Ralph Stocco issued the driver a summons for careless driving, Mastronardy said.

The incident comes less than a week after only a few blocks south, near Union Street and Route 166. In that Saturday accident, 47 year-old Toms River resident Heather Heck died from injuries in a one-car accident after her Mazda Miata struck a tree and utility pole in the northbound lane. She was driving south at the time.

The often crowded lanes for Friday traffic have heavier than normal volume due to the Good Friday holiday and travel anticipated for Easter, and drivers are being urged to avoid the area.

Main Street is a two-lane road, with one lane in each direction for north and southbound traffic from Route 37 to Water Street. Both lanes of traffic are currently closed.