Three-car crash closes Route 9 in Stafford

No one was seriously injured, but all three vehicles sustained heavy damage when a motorist rear-ended a vehicle, pushing into another car on Route 9 Tuesday night, according to Stafford Township Police.  

Police Captain Thomas J. Dellane said 64-year-old Margaret Finn-Masucci of Barnegat was ticketed for careless driving after she crashed her Ford Escape into a vehicle that was stopped in traffic on Route 9 south waiting to turn left onto Lyle Avenue around 6:30 pm. The impact caused the Mazda CX-7 being driven by 35-year-old William McIennan of the Township's Manahawkin onto Route 9 north and into a Ford Focus being driven by 21-year-old Samanth Zuniga of Barnegat.

Two of the drivers were transported to Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin to be treated for minor injuries, according to Dellane.

Dellane said both Route 9 north and south bound lanes were closed during the investigation for about 45 minutes.

Stafford Township Volunteer EMS and the Fire Department responded to the scene.