Crime & Safety

Intoxicated Driver Stable After Being Flown From Flaming Car, Cops Say

Police discovered a Bayville woman unresponsive next to an upended Mitsubishi on fire

A Bayville woman was unresponsive at the scene of a Lakeside Drive South motor vehicle accident early Friday morning.

At 3:16 a.m., Lacey police responded to the wooded area adjacent to the second lake, near the intersection of Lakeside Drive South and Claire Road, for a report of a motor vehicle crash, police said.

A Mitsubishi Galant sedan was lying on its passenger side with the engine compartment engulfed in flames, police said.

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The driver, Tara Smith, 23, of Bayville was located lying unresponsive along the shore of the lake, within feet of the burning vehicle, police said.

Smith was airlifted to Jersey Shore University Medical Center where she is currently in stable condition, police said.

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Preliminary investigation revealed intoxication as a contributing factor to the crash, police said.

Members of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Criminalistics Investigations Unit and the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office responded to assist at the scene. The Forked River Fire Department, Lacey EMS, Lacey Dive Team and MONOC Paramedics also responded.

Police are asking anyone with information regarding the accident to contact Patrolman George Resetar at 609-693-6636, ext. 2590.


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