Route 9 Accident Victim Transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center

An accident at the intersection of Routes 9 and 33 sent one person to the hospital on Wednesday afternoon just before the evening rush hour. The overturned car was reported at 4:25 p.m.

Lisa Saunders, 40, of Lodi was traveling Route 9 northbound when she hit the center divider and took out the center light stanchion, causing her silver Jeep Liberty to overturn, according to Freehold Police Sgt. Chris Brunner. 

Police Department and Emergency Medical Service personnel confirmed that the driver was trapped inside the overturned vehicle.

Brunner said Patrol Officer Clay Davis was the first on the scene and that the driver was trapped in her vehicle for approximately 30 minutes. 

The driver was extricated from the vehicle and was transported to the Trauma Center at Jersey Shore University Medical Center.

"Route 9 North was shut down for about 20 minutes to a half hour, then we opened it up to a single lane for probably 45 minutes, and now we have one single lane shut down -- the left lane," Brunner reported at 6:45 p.m. on Wednesday, April 13.

Onlookers verified that the accident involved only one car, but the cause of the accident could not be confirmed. One witness claimed the car was "crushed like an accordion and all of the windows were blown out."

Brunner said at the time that the Department of Transportation was organizing crews so that they could set up for replacement of the light. 

Besides the Freehold Township police department, Freehold First Aid, MONOC, Freehold Independent Fire Company and the Freehold Borough Police Department responded to the accident for assistance, Brunner said. 

"We got reports of a fire, but there was no fire," Brunner insisted.

Saunders' current condition is unknown; however, Brunner said that he did not know of any immediate injuries.

"I think she was taken there as a precautionary measure since her vehicle overturned," Brunner said.

The reason for the accident's occurrence is still under investigation.

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