Car heading wrong way causes Route 9 accident
BY KATHY BARATTA
Staff Writer

MANALAPAN - A motor vehicle collision on Route 9 at Pine Brook Road that shut down the highway for four hours on March 11 was caused by an elderly motorist who was driving his vehicle north in the southbound lanes of the highway.

According to a press release issued by Manalapan police Lt. Lloyd Drucker, at 12:14 p.m. a 2005 Cadillac CTS driven by Abe Goldenberg, 94, of Manalapan, was traveling north in the southbound lanes of Route 9 when it collided with a 1998 Honda Accord that was being driven by Leatrice Tembrevilla, 74, of Manalapan.

Police said Tembrevilla's vehicle was in the left southbound lane of Route 9 south when it was struck by Golden-berg's vehicle, which was traveling north.

Police said Tembrevilla had to be extricated from her vehicle by rescue workers from the Gordons Corner Fire Company. She was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Nep-tune, by helicopter.

Goldenberg was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center by the Englishtown-Manalapan First Aid Squad.

According to Drucker, the nature of both victims' injuries were not known to police at the time the press release was prepared and issued late on the afternoon of March 11.

On the afternoon of March 12, John Schaffer, a spokesman with Jersey Shore University Medical Center, reported that both individuals were in good condition.

At 3:30 p.m. March 11, traffic on Route 9 south was backed up to Texas Road at the border of Old Bridge and Marlboro. Motorists were being detoured off Route 9 in Marlboro.

Route 9 south remained closed from 12:15-4 p.m. between Union Hill Road and Gordons Corner Road.

When asked if police knew where on Route 9 Goldenberg entered the highway or how long he had been traveling north in the southbound lanes, Drucker said that is the focus of an ongoing investigation.

Police are asking anyone who may have seen Goldenberg's vehicle traveling the wrong way on Route 9 or who may have witnessed the vehicles at the time of the collision or immediately beforehand to call (732) 446-4300 and ask to speak with Patrolman George Heitz of the Traffic Safety Unit.

Emergency responders at the scene included the New Jersey State Police Incident Management Unit and MONOC paramedics.

Other agencies who responded to the scene of the accident included the Mon-mouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team in conjunction with the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office.