Police Pull Teens From Burning Vehicle In Crash That Killed 2 Others In Ocean County

Updated, 5:30 p.m. May 23

JACKSON, NJ — Two teenagers were killed and three others injured early Friday when a vehicle hit a deer and then a tree and burst into flames in Jackson, police said.

The crash happened on North Hope Chapel Road near New Central Avenue and was reported at 4:39 a.m. by a passing motorist, Jackson Police Chief Michael Kunz said. Kunz said all five in the vehicle were teenagers.

None of the teens have been identified.

Police officers arrived to find the vehicle fully engulfed in flames with four of the teens trapped inside the vehicle because of the damage to the vehicle and the severity of their injuries, Jackson Lt. Fred Meabe said in an update.

Officers forced their way into the vehicle and were able to rescue two of the teens, Meabe said. One of the teens died during the collision, he said, and the other died in the fire that resulted from the crash. They were pronounced dead at 5:26 a.m., Kunz said.

The fifth teen had been able to escape from the vehicle and was found lying on the ground nearby, Meabe said.

The three surviving teens were taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center's trauma center in Neptune. Meabe said they were listed in critical condition Friday afternoon.

Meabe said the preliminary investigation has found the vehicle was headed north on North Hope Chapel Road when it hit a deer that had run into the road.

The collision with the deer disabled the vehicle and it ran off the road to the right and hit a large tree, he said. Shortly after it hit the tree, a fire started in the engine compartment, which had been heavily damaged, and that led to the vehicle becoming fully engulfed in flames, Meabe said.

The crash remains under investigation and Jackson police are urging any witnesses or anyone with additional information to call Traffic Safety Officer David Dejesus at 732-928-1111.