Woman Injured As SUV Crashes Into Manchester Stores

MANCHESTER, NJ — A Whiting woman was injured Thursday afternoon when her SUV crashed into the front of the H&R Block office at Whiting Commons, Manchester police said.

Mary McGowan, 88, suffered multiple injuries to her neck, back, chest and face in the crash that was reported at 1:32 p.m., Manchester Capt. James Komsa said.

McGowan was driving a black 2020 Hyundai Tucson in the parking lot at Whiting Commons, 400 Lacey Road, when she began to speed up and drove over the curb, onto the sidewalk and hit the building at the H&R Block and Wine World stores, Komsa said.

The impact caused extensive damage to the store fronts of H&R Block and Wine World, he said.

Multiple air bags deployed in the Hyundai, and McGowan was wearing her seat belt at the time, Komsa said. She was taken to Community Medical Center in Toms River with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, he said.

Assisting at the scene were EMTs and firefighters from the Manchester Township Division of Emergency Services, Whiting Volunteer Fire Department, and Robert Wood Johnson paramedics, as well as the Manchester Township building inspector.

Patrolman Michael O'Hara is investigating the crash, but driver error appears to be the primary contributing factor, Komsa said.