Mourning For Old Bridge Mom Killed On Last Wednesday's Icy Roads

OLD BRIDGE, NJ — Last week, the Old Bridge community and surrounding towns were deeply saddened when a local woman was killed in a collision with a garbage truck on Rt. 34, an accident police are nearly certain was caused by that morning's icy roads.

Anastasia Arthur, 54, of Old Bridge died after she — like so many others in New Jersey — ventured out on the morning of Jan. 5 onto ice-covered roadways, which had been coated with a dangerous slick of black ice from freezing rain the night before.

There were hundreds of car crashes across the state last Wednesday, but most drivers did not meet Arthur's grim fate.

Born in Ghana, Arthur, a mother of two,"died suddenly on January 5, 2022, in Old Bridge," read her obituary. In the pre-dawn hours, at 5:35 a.m. Wednesday, she pulled out of the parking lot of Future Pharmacy onto Rt. 34 — and directly into the path of an oncoming Solterra garbage truck.

The truck was unable to stop in time and collided with the Honda Arthur was driving. Arthur was pronounced dead at the scene.

"She grew up with her family in Ghana and met her future husband in high school. She attended the Holy Child Secondary School in Cape Coast. In 1986 she came to the United States to pursue a career in healthcare," read her obituary.

Arthur attended Notre Dame of Maryland University, and later Long Island University, obtaining a degree in nursing.

She worked as a registered nurse for a number of hospitals and agencies, most recently working at North Central Bronx Hospital in New York.

Some in New Jersey criticized Gov. Phil Murphy for not putting salt down on the roads. Murphy also did not call a state of emergency for Jan. 5, as he has in advance of past winter storms.

"Where are the salt trucks?!" was a frequent refrain from NJ residents on Twitter, with some tweeting directly @GovMurphy, who did not respond.

"Where are the salt trucks NJ & NY?" asked one man.

"Where were the salt trucks?" wrote another one user. "From 730 am on 78 eastbound at Newark exits over 25 cars in accidents through airport exits and bridges. No salt! 2nd time you feel asleep at the NJ helm."

"It was a nightmare in NJ today ... almost spun out going to work. The roads were all ice and no salt/sand trucks," tweeted one woman.

Arthur was one of two fatal crashes in New Jersey that morning, the other being where a car spun out on the ice near the MetLife area in East Rutherford, and the driver was killed. Police investigating that crash similarly said black ice was almost certainly to blame.

Among other notable accidents that day, an NJ Transit bus lost control in Teaneck, striking a tree with 10 passengers aboard, local officials said. Six people were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, including a chipped tooth, concussion and possible broken leg.

An Old Bridge school bus skidded on the ice and flipped on its side, but no children were aboard and the driver was not injured. And just down the road from Old Bridge, seven people had to be hospitalized after a massive 65-car pileup that at Rt. 18/Rt. 36 in Eatontown, although nobody died.

Arthur is survived by her loving husband of 30 years, Francis Ohemeng-Adu of Old Bridge, and the couple's two children, son, Francis Adu, Jr. and daughter, Amanda Adu.

"Anastasia enjoyed spending time with her family, going on vacations, praying, singing, dancing, and relaxing by crocheting. She had a warmth about her and her personality was always caring and loving," read her obituary. "She will be loved and missed by her family and friends."

Visitation and funeral ceremony details will be announced soon. Arrangements under the care and direction of Old Bridge Funeral Home.

Another major snowstorm is headed towards New Jersey, expected to arrive Sunday night: https://patch.com/new-jersey/b...

Read the original Patch report on her death: Old Bridge Woman Dies In Icy Road Crash Wednesday, Police Say (Jan. 5)

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