Woman Hospitalized As SUV Crashes Into Woods On Route 70 In Manchester

MANCHESTER, NJ — A Manchester Township woman was hospitalized after her vehicle went airborne and ended up 60 feet in the woods during a crash on Route 70 on Saturday, police said.

Thelma Dantzler, 71, of the Whiting section of Manchester, was flown to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune following the crash on Saturday afternoon, Manchester Capt. Albert Vega said. She suffered multiple upper body injuries and was listed as stable on Sunday, he said.

Dantzler was driving east on Route 70 about 2 p.m. when her 2016 blue Kia Sportage went off the road into a heavily wooded area near Colonial Drive, Vega said.

The Kia briefly went airborne as it went into the woods and hit several small trees and bushes before coming to a complete stop about 60 feet into the woods, Vega said, who said witnesses to the crash assisted with the investigation.

Authorities believe Dantzler suffered a medical episode before the crash, he said. She did not appear to have her seatbelt on at the time of the crash, Vega said.

Assisting at the scene were EMTs from the Manchester Division of Emergency Services, firefighters from Station 32 Manchester Volunteer Fire Company, and Station 34 Ridgeway Volunteer Fire Company, paramedics from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Life Flight.

Patrolman Keith Douglas of the Traffic Safety Unit is investigating.