Three hospitalized after two crashes in one day in Middletown

MIDDLETOWN - Two crashes, in little more than an hour, on two state highways in MIddletown, send three people to hospital care and result in ongoing investigations.

Both occurred Sunday afternoon. Police identified no one involved. They said that the driver of a car that rammed a utility pole on Route 35, near Woodland Drive, at 4:09 PM, was trapped inside the vehicle until members of Community Fire Company wrested him free.

He was treated by Middletown and Port Monmouth First Aiders and paramedics. then flown via MONOC 1 helicopter to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.

Just over an hour later, at 5:13 PM, a motorcylist on Route 36, with a rider on board, struck a tree limb that fell across both westbound lanes.

Police didn't specify whether they were thrown from the bike, but said that both were injured and were rushed to Jersey Shore by Fairview and Leonardo First Aid Squad members and MONOC paramedics.

Anyone familiar with either incident is urged to call Middltown PD traffic safety investigators, 732-615-2045.