Basking Ridge Woman Dies After Hit By Car On Allen Road On Halloween

BASKING RIDGE, NJ — A Basking Ridge woman who was hit by a car while crossing in a crosswalk on Halloween night has died, according to Bernards Township.

Bhuvana Mani, 42, of Basking Ridge, was identified as the woman hit, according to a statement released by the Township Committee on Monday night.

She had been hospitalized in critical condition since the crash more than two weeks ago.

"A sudden tragedy like this affects our entire community, and there are no words that can fully ease the pain. Please keep Bhuvana's loved ones in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time," stated the Committee. "May her memory bring comfort, and may her family and friends find strength in the days ahead."

On Oct. 31, just before 8:30 p.m., a 61-year-old Bedminster Township man was driving a 2025 Toyota RAV4 westbound on Allen Road, approaching the intersection of Vanderveer Drive, according to Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald.

Mani, who was using a marked crosswalk and crossing Allen Road in a northbound direction, was hit by the Toyota, said McDonald.

Mani was crossing left to right from the perspective of the driver, according to police.

The crash remains under investigation.

Anyone with information relating to this investigation is asked to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office at 908-231-7100 or the Bernards Township Police Department at 908-766-2510 or via the STOPit app.

Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Crime Stoppers’ Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477). All anonymous STOPit reports, and Crime Stopper tips will be kept confidential.

Petition and Somerset County Review

Since the crash, one resident, Sanjay Bery, launched a petition looking to address these issues and already has more than 1,100 signatures.

On Nov. 7, the Township shared that it had been in contact with Somerset County and the Somerset County Engineering Department.

"An engineering review will commence upon the conclusion of the still ongoing police investigation," according to the township. "Please keep our resident and her family in your thoughts and prayers during this difficult time."

At the Nov. 11 Committee meeting, several residents shared safety concerns about Allen Road.

"This is not the first incident that has happened on Allen Road. There has been a history of many incidents in the past. One fatal, as far as I remember, and a few with very serious injuries," said Reena Singhvi.

A resident living off Ross Lane for the past 24 years also suggested adding more lighting, speed bumps, or rumble strips to the roadway.

"Let's see what we can do to brighten all the lights on Allen Road. We understand that we want this to be a really beautiful township, but not at the cost of lives being taken," said the resident.

Committeeman Andrew McNally said the petition was reviewed by township and county officials.

"As many know, Allen Road is a county road therefore, we are not at liberty to impose engineering solutions without county involvement. As mentioned, we have been in touch with our county partners, and we’re advocating for appropriate solutions. We will continue to work with the county and other stakeholders in this process," said McNally.

McNally added that Allen Road is one of the Township's most policed roads and they intend to make improvements based on the results of the crash investigation.

"When a tragedy occurs, it is natural to want to take steps to prevent a similar incident from occurring again," said McNally. "Everyone on this Township Committee certainly shares that desire and public safety is our highest priority. When it comes to things like this, it is important for us to move ahead in a clear-eyed way to ensure that any steps we take will bring about positive results."

Mayor Janice Fields spoke to residents at the meeting saying, "We are strongly advocating for you and were in discussion with the county. But I would advise you to go to the county meeting and speak during public comment."

"The best solution is for you to go to a County Commissioner meeting and state your cases, state your solutions," said Fields.

Previous Allen Road Accidents

This is the second time residents in the area have launched a petition looking to address safety concerns on Allen Road.

In 2016, David Dolgin started a petition after being hit by a speeding car on Allen Road at the intersection of Patriot Hill/Hamilton Woods on Dec. 15, 2015. He suffered a severely damaged left leg, requiring five major surgeries in 14 days, and his two dogs were killed.

On Oct. 6, 2016, Beom Sohn, 56, from Basking Ridge, was also hit by a car when he was crossing Liberty Ridge Road at Allen Road around 7:50 a.m., according to Bernards Township Police.

Sohn was airlifted to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where he died the next morning from his injuries.

On Sept. 10, 2019, around 6:50 p.m., a bicyclist was riding in the shoulder near Hamilton Road when a walker with a dog got close to the biker, Bernards Township Police said.

The biker moved toward the boundary line, which separates the bike lane from the roadway, to avoid the dog when he was hit by a car, according to police. The bicyclist did not report any injuries at the time of the report.

On April 13, 2022, a 2013 White Lexus SUV had stopped at Hamilton Road and turned left onto westbound Allen Road when it hit a 71-year-old man near the crosswalk, said police.

The pedestrian had serious injuries and was taken to Morristown Hospital for treatment.

A pedestrian safety and vehicle speed study was then conducted by Somerset County on Allen Road in Bernards Township. Read More: Is Allen Road Dangerous? County Conducts Study

In June 2022, Somerset County sought input from residents for safety improvements at the intersection of Allen Road and Somerville Road in Bernards Township.

In December 2022, Somerset County proposed a roundabout at the intersection of Allen Road and Somerville Road. This was opposed by the Bernards Township Committee.

"Basically at the end of the day, we heard from a lot of the residents up in the hills and the vast super ultra majority wanted absolutely nothing to do with this roundabout," said Mayor James Baldassare at the time. "That being the case we are not going to go forward with it and its really just that simple."

Dolgin attended several town halls following his accident and worked with safety officials to get speed monitoring signs installed at the bottom of both lanes on Allen Road. In addition, a flashing pedestrian crosswalk was placed at the entrance of the shopping center.

Previous Reporting:

• Basking Ridge Woman Walking In Crosswalk Hit By Car, Hospitalized In Critical Condition
• Safety, Traffic Issues On Allen Road Prompt Petition After Basking Ridge Woman Hit By Car
• Allen Road Safety Issues To Be Reviewed By Somerset County After Woman Hit By Car

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