Toms River Police continue investigation into Mathis Bridge crash

Toms River Police continue their investigation into a Monday morning accident on the Mathis Bridge that injured both drivers.

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Police arrived on scene around 11:00 am Monday and learned that Raffaela Crisp, 89 of Lavalette, was heading east, in the left lane, over the Mathis Bridge when she began changing lanes to get into the center of the bridge.

That's when she sideswiped an Ocean County Road Department street sweeper, police said, causing a series of events which resulted in serious collision.

Crisp was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash and was pinned between the dashboard and her seat.

The Toms River Fire Department then responded to extricate her from the vehicle.

Toms River EMS & Robert Wood Johnson MICU treated Crisp and then brought her to the landing zone where she was airlifted by Robert Wood Johnson Helicopter to Jersey Shore University Hospital for treatment of her injuries.

Toms River EMS brought the street sweeper to Community Medical Center for treatment of injuries they sustained in the collision.

The Mathis Bridge was closed for a short period of time Monday to remove vehicles and cleanup the scene.

The accident is being investigated by Toms River Police Traffic Safety Officer Ryan Fitzgerald.

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