5-Year-Old, Grandmother Killed In Chester Crash Thursday: Police

CHESTER, NJ — A five-year-old girl and her grandmother were killed in a Thursday afternoon car crash in Chester, police said. The driver was flown to Morristown Medical Center for treatment.

Mariamma Thomas, 73, and her granddaughter, an unnamed five-year-old, were pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, police confirmed Friday morning. They declined to elaborate further.

The crash happened just before 3:30 p.m. at the intersection of Rt. 206 and Furnace Road. A 2002 Nissan Pathfinder driven by Cheriyal Thomas was trying to make a left turn from Furnace onto Rt. 206 when it was hit by a tractor trailer. Cheriyal Thomas was flown to Morristown Medical Center; his status as of Friday morning was unclear.

The tractor trailer was being driver by Kyle Westenberger, 30, from Hopatcong. It was not immediately clear if he was injured.

Rt. 206 was closed for about five hours as Chester Police, Morris County Vehicular Homicide Unit and the Morris County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Section investigated.

"Our hearts and prayers go out to all of those involved in this incident," police said.

This intersection is known for its particularly difficult left turns from Furnace Road onto Rt. 206. There are no traffic lights or jug handles, only a stop sign. The William J. Leber Funeral Home sits at that intersection.

Several Chester residents wondered what it would take for the intersection to be made safer.

"In my 3 years or so in this particular area, multiple fatalities and endless wrecks. The speeding is out of control. How many more have to die until new safety measures are put in place?" one resident said in response to a police press release.

Another called for action and communication from the town, writing, "I would like to see an update on what the town is going to do at this particular intersection to prevent this tragedy from happening again."

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