Motorist Extricated from Flipped SUV After Reportedly Losing Control of Vehicle

A woman driving in an SUV that had flipped multiple times on I-78 westbound in Bedminster shortly before 8 a.m. on Monday morning was extricated by the Far Hills-Bedminster Fire Department within five to six minutes, said Assistant Fire Chief Brian Bassett.

State Police records on Tuesday morning said that a preliminary investigation indicates that the driver, Stephanie Flores, 27, of Phillipsburg, was a Nissan Pathfinder in the left lane when she apparently lost control of the vehicle and headed onto the grass media to the left.

Flores then managed to direct the vehicle back into the left lane, but then apparently oversteered to the left, at which point the SUV turned over, according to information passed along by Sgt. Brian Polite in Trenton.

Polite said Flores suffered serious head injuries, while three children in the rear of the vehicle received minor injuries. He said the accident, which was recorded at about 7:40 a.m., remains under investigation. State Police from Somerville answered the call, he said.

Bassett, from the Far Hills-Bedminster department, said that he called in a state police medical emergency helicopter to transport the woman from the scene of the accident, to which rescuers were called at 7:44 a.m.

The woman's three children also were transported by ambulance to Morristown Medical Center, where their mother had been flown, Bassett said. He said the mother was most severely injured.

The SUV had landed in the middle of the highway after it came to rest, and only the shoulder remained open after rescuers arrived, Bassett said.

Bassett said westbound Route 78 was completely closed while the state police helicopter was landed and assisting the woman.

Polite said the children were ages 10, 5 and 3, but he could not confirm they were the woman's children. 

He said that the preliminary investigation indicated that the children were restrained by seat belts, but no child safety seats were found to be present in the vehicle.