5 hurt in 5-car Manchester chain collision

MANCHESTER - Five people are recovering from injuries in the aftermath of a five-car chain crash on Route 70 that tied up midday traffic on the busy highway.

According to reports by responding officers, Joseph Giammarino, 84, of Toms River, in a 2016 Chevrolet Impala, was stopped for a red signal at the intersection of Green Acres Road on the westbound side.

Brienna Hubbs, 22, of Forked River, behind the wheel of a 2015 Ford Fleet wagon owned by Regency Memory Care Club of Toms River, collided with the back end of Giammarino's car, police said.

The impact catapulted his car forward, into the rear of a 2016 Chevrolet Equinox driven by Robert Vaughn of Toms River. Vaughn's car lurched ahead into the back of a 2016 Toyota Corolla driven by Jovie Bandoy, 19. Bandoy's car was propelled into the reaar of a 1998 Jeep driven by Kathleen Carpenter.

Police said that four riders in the Regency wagon were driven to Community Medical Center in Toms River for treatment of minor injuries: Irene DiGenno, 91; Kenneth Zaentz, 73; Geraldine Rinaldi, 87; and Patricia Hazard, 80.

Giammarino was treated for minor injuries at Monmouth Medical Center's Southern Campus in Lakewood, police said. The four remaining drivers and three other passengers declined medical treatment.