Two Tickets Issued To Driver Who Hit Gas Meter At Howell House

HOWELL, NJ — The driver of a truck that slammed into a Howell home on Wednesday was issued two summonses, said Police Chief John Storrow Thursday.

New Jersey Natural Gas crews had to repair a gas leak at a home on Stowe Lane after a pick-up truck struck the house at about 8 a.m. on Wednesday, damaging the meter, utility company officials said.

Storrow said it was not yet entirely clear what caused the accident.

"I believe (the driver) mistook the gas for the brake," Storrow said.

But one thing for certain is that the owners of the home have major repairs ahead of them, even as the gas leak has been repaired.

The utility said that on Wednesday morning at 8:05 a.m., "New Jersey Natural Gas was contacted by local police of a car that struck a home on Stowe Lane in Howell, hitting the meter," a spokesman for the company, Michael Kinney, said.

A crew was on the scene by 8:30 a.m. and made the situation safe by 9:05 a.m., the utility said. There were no injuries.

Nine homes were evacuated as a precaution - six on Stowe Lane and three on Berkshire Drive, the company said.

All those who were evacuated were allowed back into their homes before noon, Kinney said.

The gas company made the necessary repairs to the service and the work is now complete, Kinney added.

He said the truck struck the house gas meter, so that was replaced as well as some connecting pipes. All work was contained to the residence. No work had to be performed at the street.

Patch will continue to update this story as local authorities provide more information.