Accident claims local woman
BY KATHY BARATTA Staff Writer

MANALAPAN - Driving too fast during a rainstorm is what authorities have determined was the cause of an accident that killed Freehold Township resident Barbara A. Foley.

According to Manalapan police Capt. Louis Moreto, an investigation of the July 14 accident that occurred at 8:46 a.m. determined that Foley, 63, who was traveling north on Millhurst Road in a 1997 Saturn, "lost control of her vehicle coming out of a curve in the road and crossed the double yellow lines," before hitting a vehicle that was traveling in the opposite direction.

That second vehicle was a 2004 Nissan Quest being driven by Michael Nicoles, 45, of Manalapan. His wife, Laura, 42, was a passenger in the vehicle.

According to a written police account of the accident, the passenger side of Foley's Saturn impacted with the Nissan's front bumper in the southbound lane of Millhurst Road near Hidden Pond Court.

"She (Foley) was going too fast for the road conditions," Moreto said.

The police report states that Foley was killed upon impact and was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency personnel.

Michael Nicoles and Laura Nicoles were both transported to CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township, with chest and stomach injuries. Moreto said he did not believe those injuries were lifethreatening.

Responding to the scene of the accident were MONOC paramedics, the Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Response Team, the Manalapan Fire Company, Millhurst, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and the Monmouth County Medical Examiner.

Millhurst Road was closed for three hours as the accident was investigated. The investigation is continuing by police and the prosecutor's office.

Anyone with information about the accident is asked to contact Manalapan Patrolman George Heitz at 732-446-4300.