LAKEWOOD NJ DOUBLE FATAL
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Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato announced the results of a double fatal crash that took place within Lakewood Township on the evening of June 7, 2018.
At approximately 6:51 pm on Thursday (6/7), Toms River Police Officer Kyle Lamar attempted to make a motor vehicle stop on a 2016 Red Ford Focus wanted for allegedly being involved in a shooting within Lakewood Township earlier Thursday. Additionally, the driver was not wearing a seat belt and the registration for the vehicle came back suspended. The Toms River patrol activated his emergency overhead lights signaling the driver to stop, however, the driver fled initiating a pursuit. The Toms River Unit followed the fleeing vehicle through his jurisdiction, but fearing for the public’s safety terminated his pursuit after the fleeing vehicle ran a red light at the intersection of Route 70 and Massachusetts Ave near the Lakewood Township border.
The Toms River patrol continued north into Lakewood and minutes later came upon the suspect vehicle on fire crashed into a tree just north of Massachusetts Ave and Cross St. The driver was entrapped in the vehicle and Officer Lamar, with the assistance of Toms River Officer Thomas Elwood who arrived on the scene, immediately struggled to remove the driver as the car continued to be engulfed in flames. Managing to free him, they then carried him across the street and began CPR.
EMS and Lakewood PD responded to the scene and first aid was rendered to the occupants of the vehicle, however, they ultimately succumbed to their injuries and were pronounced deceased. The occupants of the Ford Focus are identified as Rynell Bennett (Driver), 29, of Bellefonte PA, and the passenger a 16 y/o male of Gloucester NJ.
Ptl. Lamar and Elwood were transported to Toms River Community Medical Center for treatment of smoke inhalation. Both were treated and released.
The preliminary investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Fatal Accident Investigations Unit indicates that just prior to the crash the vehicle was were traveling north on Massachusetts Ave at a high rate of speed when the vehicle lost directional control and collided into a tree located on the southbound side of the roadway. Further information was developed that the vehicle failed to stop for a red traffic signal at Massachusetts Ave and Cross Street prior to crossing into the southbound lane continuing into a wooded area coming to final rest into the tree.
Assisting OCPO in the investigation were the Ocean County Fatal Accident Support Team (FAST), the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department CSI and Ocean County Medical Examiner’s Office.