A 25-year-old Brick resident died Monday morning following a traffic accident on Route 88 that involved three vehicles, police said.
Stephen J. Jackson died of internal injuries, according to Brick Police Sgt. David Bedrosian.
An icy roadway is being cited as a factor in the 8:36 a.m. crash, in which Jackson's 1995 BMW 325 was hit by a 2003 Ford Explorer being driven by Tonya McWade, 42, of Brick.
Bedrosian said McWade lost control of the Explorer after hitting an icy patch as she turned onto the state highway from Brentwood Avenue. At the time, Jackson was travelling eastbound.
"Her vehicle began to rotate counter-clockwise and crossed the center roadway lines and into the oncoming eastbound lane," said Bedrosian.
The collision occurred in the eastbound lane approximately 350 feet west of Brentwood Avenue, said Bedrosian. The BMW eventually came to rest in the shoulder near the Olympic Gardens complex after striking a utility pole. The Explorer eventually left the roadway and stopped in a wooded embankment.
A third vehicle, a 2012 Honda Accord driven by Tzvi A. Kugler, 38, of Lakewood, also collided with the Explorer and was pushed to the eastbound shoulder of Route 88, east of the BMW.
Neither McWade nor her 11-year-old passenger suffered any injuries in the accident. Kugler complained of facial pain, an accident report said.
Multiple Brick police officers, Brick Police EMS and MONOC paramedics responded to the scene, as well as the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Medical Examiner and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Criminal Investigation Unit.
Both the eastbound and westbound lanes of Route 88 were closed for about three and a half hours, Bedrosian said. During that time, the Lakewood Police Department and NJ Department of Transportation assisted with detours.
Officers Jay Lampiasi, Scott Dierking and Sgt. Bedrosian of the Brick Township Police Department’s Traffic Safety Unit responded and are conducting the crash investigation.
"The cause of the crash is still pending further investigation at this time although it appears that the icy road conditions may have contributed to the crash," said Bedrosian.
Anyone with information surrounding the crash is being asked to contact the Traffic Safety Unit at 732-262-1140.
jerome cooper
2:59 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
That sucks its no ones fault but death taking a good persons life jackon you'll be missed man
Susan Clarke
3:57 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
My deepest sympathy to Alex and all of his family and friends. So very young. :-((
Alice Barber
4:17 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
I passed this accident this morning on the way to work...so sad.
JLoo
5:07 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
So many accidents on that particular area of Rt 88. Bad ones. Deepest sympathy to the young man's family.
Jennifer Smith
7:32 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
My thoughts and prayers to the family and friends.
Veronica T
7:58 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
He was a fine young man. always nice to my daughter when they went to school together. He will be missed. May he rest in peace.
David Daur
8:10 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
I'm not blaming anyone directly for this accident but why is it always the innocent driver who loses his life??? She lost control of her car and went over the center line but he's the one that is dead. I understand they call it an accident for a reason but how many times have you read about a drunk driver killing somebody in a head-on crash and the intoxicated driver walks away with a few scratches? Way too young to lose his life, May God Bless his family at this most difficult time.
Bricktown Lew
8:55 pm on Monday, January 28, 2013
My deepest sympathies to the Jackson family. You know, for decades I've driven all sorts of trucks and hauled many trailers in all types of weather. Sometimes work and bad weather cross paths. I've seen tons of stuff throughout my years. It would be a crime on top of a tragedy for this to have been another accident in which another another mindless SUV driver barrels down a potentially dangerous road thinking they can stop on a dime and have the handling of a racing car as well. I wish people had to take special driver's tests for full size SUVs because I've seen so many "drivers" not be able to see over the wheel of the trucks never mind drive them properly and safely.
Brick Mom
9:16 am on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
I know the driver of the SUV and she is so far from midless. She is one of the safest drivers I know.
WMS826
8:16 am on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Ice means slow down....
Da Poppa
9:02 am on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
... And four wheel drive does not mean you can't lose control or spin ... Deepest sympathies to the family for their loss ...
Bricktown Lew
10:03 am on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Ice doesn't mean slow down. It means crawl!!! I remember once when I was up north, one morning I was in my truck driving on a road that was a sheet of ice. I was crawling at about 15mph or so. Suddenly, here comes a Porsche flying past me. Seconds later, as I'm crawling, I see this Porsche about 20 or 30 yards off the road in a field. It gave him some alone time to think. I was just happy he didn't kill someone.
jen
12:09 pm on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Horrific accident. I live close by and travel that road all the time. No matter the cause, the victims family as well as the SUV driver and her family will have to cope with this forever. Prayers to all affected.
Marilyn S.
3:05 pm on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jodi ( Steven's mom ) and Alex ( Steven's identical twin brother ). Steven will be missed so much. Jodi has brought up her sons as a single mom and has raised two wonderful young men. We will miss seeing the two of them together. Now when we see and talk with Alex we will always see Steven. I wish I could change that clock of time just by seconds and Steven would have been out of harms way as he was driving home from work. Our hearts are sadden by this horrible moment. As friends and neighbors of the Jackson family we send our deepest sympathy and will always be there for the both of you. For Steven you are now in god's hands and will always be remembered. And out to the SUV driver, it must be horrible to live with this forever. We love you Jodi and Alex from: Marilyn, Lou, and Mandy!!!!
Andy Pat
4:08 pm on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
While ice may have been a contributing factor the pending investigation may reveal that the SUV driver also bears responsibility. While literally thousands of cars pass this point daily, it was a driver who left the neighborhood and only travelled a few hundred feet before losing all control. Let's wait and see what may (or may not)develop. And to law enforcement, let's get this one right. No more Pat Doyle/get away with murder investigations. My deepest sympathies to Alex and his mom.
C
7:07 pm on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
I agree. I hope the investigators check the SUV driver's cell phone records & see if she was talking or texting at the time. I also wonder how fast she was driving, knowing it was lightly snowing, before skidding & causing Steven to be sent into a telephone pole with that kind of force. Sympathies to Steven's family,
GLEN PACYNA SR.
4:48 pm on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
I have known Steven & Alex since they were little boys. They went to after care with my sons and have been friends of the faimly for years. Steven will be missed. My deepest sympathies to Alex and Jodi.
The Pacyna family.
Teresa K.
6:47 pm on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
So sad to see Steve taken from us at such a young age. Life is so unfair sometimes. My heart goes out to his family and friends, stay strong.
Maureen K. Mitchell
7:56 pm on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
It has been years since I've seen Alex, Steven and Jodi, but my heart was crushed when I heard of this accident! My son was a team and classmate of theirs. Our deepest sympathy to all of you. May God bless you Steven and keep you in his care.
t. wagner
8:56 pm on Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Clamdigger- maybe you should read the article. The SUV hit him. The SUV crossed into his lane. There was nothing said about him doing anything wrong accept being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Sarah
8:02 am on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Sorry for your loss...my deepest sympathy to all...God Bless!
Alex Jackson
11:22 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Stephen D Jackson
Natasha Larson
11:25 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
I really wish I could see Clamdigger's post right now. Holy blood boiling. Idiot. Fucking idiot.
Marilyn S.
4:02 am on Thursday, January 31, 2013
Natasha. I soooo agree with you!!!! He not only can read very well, but it seemed to me that he was insinuating that it was Steve's car that was cutting him off the road one night. I guess he doesn't realize that MAYBE the BMW company might have manufactured more than one 1995 black BMW. Plus Steve doesn't even live in that area. Yeah he is an idiot and this wasn't the place to post such a fabricated BS story. A young man's life was taken away from him, his family, and his friends. I am a neighbor and friend of the Jackson family.