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Manchester police responded to the intersection of Ocean County routes 547 and 571 at around 6:19 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3, the department said in a news release. Two cars sustained heavy front-end damage in the collision.
Officers found a blue 2004 BMW facing south in the intersection's northeast corner and a white 2022 Nissan Altima on the side of County Route 547.
Investigators said a Manchester teen driving the BMW was heading north on County Route 547 when it collided with the Nissan Altima. The 39-year-old man driving the Nissan was traveling east on County Route 571 and tried to turn left onto County Route 547 North.
The impact caused the BMW to spin 180 degrees and strike a traffic light pole before coming to a stop. The Nissan was forced off the road, stopping on the west side of County Route 547.
The man suffered internal injuries "primarily to the front of his body." He was rushed by helicopter to Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
The teen sustained "extensive" leg injuries and was taken by ambulance to Community Medical Center. Both drivers were listed in stable condition.
The preliminary investigation said "failure to observe the traffic signal" appeared to be the main cause of the crash.
The intersection was closed for several hours while emergency crews investigated and cleared the scene. Manchester and Ridgeway firefighters also responded to the scene, along with paramedics from Manchester and RWJBarnabas Health.
The crash remained under investigation.
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