Crime & Safety

One Remains Hospitalized After Fatal Route 202 Accident

Circumstances of accident remain under investigation by county, state and Bernardsville investigators.

Bernardsville police said a last week that keep Route 202 closed for eight hours remains under investigation by local, county and state agencies, while a 24-year-old Bedminster woman who was driving one of the cars remained hospitalized on Thursday.

The woman still in the hospital was identified as Gina Barbara, 24, who had been driving a 2011 Volkwagen Jetta at the time of the three-way crash on Jan. 18 on Route 202 at the intersection with Whitenack Road, said Bernardsville Police Chief Kevin Valentine.

The other survivor in the accident has been named as Melinda Judd, 53, of Bedminster, who had been driving a 2006 Toyota in the crash, the chief said.

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The fatal accident at 10 a.m.and resulted in the death of the driver of the cement truck, which had overturned, authorities said. The driver was identified as Vidal J. Torres-Merced, 36, of Paterson.

No summons has been issued, Valentine said. He said the circumstances of the crash are still being investigated by borough police, who are working with the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Crash Analysis Reconstruction Team and the state police Commercial Vehicle Inspection Unit.

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The cement truck being driven by Torres-Merced was owned by Herbert J. Hinchman and Son Inc. of Wayne, authorities said last week.

While Valentine said he could not give details on last week's accident, he said it is common for traffic to travel on back roads in the area to avoid Olcott Square in the center of Bernardsville. Even so, he said accidents are not that common at that location.

In the initial report last week, a release from Bernardsville police said Torres-Merced was removed from the truck by rescuers and subsequently flown to Morristown Medical Center by a N.J. State police helicopter for further treatment of his injuries. Police were later advised that Torres-Merced had passed away at some point after being removed from the accident scene, the release said.

Each of the three vehicles were occupied by the drivers, and no other passengers were involved, police said last week. When police arrived on the scene shortly after receiving the call, officers found that two of the drivers were trapped in their heavily damaged vehicles and needed to be extricated by rescue workers called to assist.

The second person operating a passenger vehicle, later identified as Judd, reportedly managed to exit from her vehicle under her own power and subsequently was treated for injuries at the scene before she was transported to Morristown Medical Center for further treatment, police said. Police subsequently were advised that she had been released from the hospital, police said on Jan. 18.

The third driver, later identified as Barbara, also was trapped heavily damaged car when police arrived, that day's report said. The woman was extricated from that vehicle by rescuers from the Bernardsville Fire Co. and First Aid Squad, with mutual aid assistance from rescue units from neighboring communities, police said.

Barbara was treated at the scene by paramedics and first aid squad personnel before being flown by State Police Helicopter to Morristown Medical Center for treatment of her injuries, last week's report said.

Torres-Merced's funeral on Monday was handled by the Scillieri Funeral Home in Paterson, said a spokesman for the funeral home and information on the Scillieri website.

Born in Paterson, Torres-Merced was a lifelong resident of that city, his obituary said. He was employed as a truck driver for Herbert Hinchman and Son of Wayne.

The funeral home said Torres-Merced is survived by his beloved wife Omayra (nee Santiago), his loving son Vidal A. Torres, his devoted daughter Lisandra J. Torres, his father Vidal Torres, his maternal grandmother Carmen Gonzalez of Paterson, his brothers Victor Torres and Fidel Gonzalez, both of Paterson, his sister Millie Merced of Paterson, his cousins Anthony Almonte and Jose Sanchez, both of Paterson, and several nieces and nephews.



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