
Two Juveniles Injured After Minibike Collides With Minivan in Pine Lake Park
Two juveniles were injured Wednesday evening after the minibike they were riding collided with a minivan at an intersection in the Pine Lake Park section of Manchester, police said.
According to the Manchester Township Police Department, the crash occurred at approximately 6:36 p.m. on March 11 at the intersection of Commonwealth Boulevard and Pemberton Street.
Responding officers arrived to find a red gas-powered minibike lying in the westbound lane of Commonwealth Boulevard with minor damage. A gray 2012 Toyota Sienna with minor front-end damage was also located in the same lane.
An initial investigation determined that the minibike, carrying two juvenile females riding tandem and not wearing helmets, had been traveling northbound on Pemberton Street.
When the minibike entered the intersection at Commonwealth Boulevard, it failed to stop at a posted stop sign and was struck by the westbound Toyota Sienna, resulting in a right-angle collision.
Both juveniles were ejected from the minibike onto Commonwealth Boulevard during the crash. Police said multiple witnesses at the scene confirmed the sequence of events.
The minibike was operated by a 14-year-old Manchester Township girl who reported an ankle injury but declined medical treatment at the scene. Her passenger, a 13-year-old girl also from Manchester Township, was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries.
The Toyota Sienna was driven by a 36-year-old mother. She reported no injuries. Two juvenile passengers inside the vehicle were also uninjured, police said.
Commonwealth Boulevard was closed for approximately 30 minutes while officers conducted their investigation and cleared the roadway.
Assisting at the scene were Manchester Township Emergency Medical Services, paramedics from Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, Hatzolah, and Priced Rite Towing.
Police said the investigation remains ongoing.
At this time, failure to obey the posted stop sign by the minibike operator appears to be the primary contributing factor.
The crash is being investigated by Patrolman Anthony DeBlasio of the department’s Traffic Safety Unit.