Motorcyclist From Toms River Severely Injured In Manchester Crash

MANCHESTER, NJ — A motorcyclist suffered a severe head injury Sunday after he was dragged by a car a short distance after a crash on Route 571 in Manchester, police said Monday.

Collins Oluleti, 30, of Toms River, was in critical condition at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, where he was flown following the crash that happened shortly after 1 p.m., Manchester Lt. Albert Vega said.

Oluleti was riding a black 2024 Kawasaki Vulcan S east in the left lane of Route 571 when a silver 2004 Toyota Camry driven by Andy Hernandez-Cheneaux, 26, of Toms River, began to drive across Route 571 on Beacon Street after having stopped at the stop sign, Vega said.

Oluleti apparently saw the Toyota entering his path and braked but lost control of the motorcycle, and both he and the motorcycle hit the pavement and slid, Vega said.

The Kawasaki slid 287 feet before coming to a stop while Oluleti hit the front end of the Toyota and got stuck under it, Vega said.

Upon impact, Hernandez-Cheneaux put in the Toyota in reverse and backed up 32 feet to the stop bar on Beacon Street at the intersection, Vega said, with the car dragging Oluleti 11 feet.

Oluleti had been wearing a helmet but it had fallen off as he was sliding on the pavement before he hit the Toyota, he said. Oluleti suffered severe head injuries and was unresponsive when first responders arrived, Vega said.

Hernandez-Cheneaux was not injured. He had three passengers — Xiomara Lezama-Briceno, 25, of Toms River; Geraldine Requena-Carrasco, 24, of Manchester, and Juan Lezama-Briceno, 28, of Toms River — and none of them were injured, Vega said.

Patrolmen Michael O’Hara and Sage Sysol of the department’s Traffic Safety Section are investigating the crash, but the preliminary information indicates failure to yield right of way at an intersection is the primary contributing factor, Vega said.

Assisting at the scene were EMTs from the Manchester Township Division of Emergency Services, firefighters from Ridgeway Volunteer and Manchester Volunteer Fire Departments, as well as Robert Wood Johnson paramedics and Life Flight.