Motorcycle Driver, 20, Dies In Crash On Route 18 In Colts Neck

FREEHOLD, NJ – An Eatontown man, age 20, died Tuesday night when his motorcycle struck the back of a utility truck as both drivers were going north on Route 18 in Colts Neck, authorities said.

The victim, who was not identified, was thrown from his motorcycle by the impact, and his motorcycle caught fire as it slid to a stop, authorities said.

The crash is under investigation by local and county authorities, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago said Thursday morning.

Just one day earlier, on Monday afternoon, William Eckert III, 54, also of Eatontown, was killed on Rt. 35 in Shrewsbury, when he drove his motorcycle into the back of a cargo van at 2:05 p.m. That story: Eatontown Man Killed In Motorcycle Crash Monday

In the Colts Neck accident, police were called to the scene at about 6:02 p.m. Tuesday. The crash was in the area of Route 18 northbound in the area of milepost 17, authorities said.

A preliminary investigation shows that the motorcyclist was traveling northbound when his 2017 Honda CBR motorcycle struck the rear of a 2011 Ford F350 utility truck, driven by a man, age 27.

The crash caused the motorcycle driver to be ejected. The motorcycle slid to an uncontrolled stop and caught fire.

The motorcycle driver was pronounced deceased on scene at 6:27 p.m., the prosecutor's office said.

The driver operating the utility truck remained on the scene. No charges or summonses have been issued in the incident at this time, the prosecutor's office said.

An investigation by members of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team (SCART), and the Colts Neck Police Department is ongoing.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact MCPO Detective Sgt.
Kristian DeVito at 800-533-7443 or Colts Neck Police Department Officer Nicolas
Tomaio at 732-780-7323.