By: Richard L. Smith
NJ State Police officials are investigating a crash that killed a woman on a highway in Ocean County Friday evening.
According to NJ State Police, troopers responded to a crash in the northbound lanes of the Garden State Parkway near milepost 80.7, South Toms River, around 6:38 p.m.
Based on a preliminary investigation, state police officials said Ms. Christina M. Citarella of Bayville was operating a Toyota Camry northbound in the left lane of the Garden State Parkway in South Toms River.
Officials say a Jeep Renegade was traveling in the right lane on the Garden State Parkway.
In the area of milepost 80.7, state police said the Toyota ran off the road to the left, struck a wooden traffic sign support and impacted a concrete traffic sign support.
After impact, the Toyota split in half and the front section of the Toyota re-entered the roadway, traversed all three travel lanes and was impacted by the Jeep in the right lane before impacting the guardrail on the right.
NJ State Police Officials said during the collision, Citarella was ejected from her vehicle and sustained fatal injuries.
The crash remains under investigation