Mom, infant, two more survive spectacular Stafford crash

A Waretown mom, her two-month-old, a passenger in her car and a dump truck driver manage to survive a grisly crash that closed part of Route 72 in Stafford for five hours Monday.

A tri-axle dump truck filled with gravel plowed into a car near Hull Drive, pushing the car off the north side of the highway while it hurtled on into nearby woods, toppling onto its side and sending part of its payload splaying across the area.

Police said that Amanda Lynn, 30, and her infant were treated for minor injuries at Southern Ocean Medical Center in Manahawkin. Nelda Eberhart, 74, also of Waretown, required treatment at Atlantic City Trauma Center and was released.

The trucker, Craig Van Vliet, 51, of Holland, Pennsylvania, was also treated for minor injuries at Southern Ocean Medical Center, police said.

According to investigators, Lynn's car was stopped on the eastbound side of the highway, waiting to turn left toward a medical office building. They surmised that Van Vliet's truck rammed the back of her car.

Police are considering whether Van Vliet will face any charges. They attribute the baby's narrow escape from serious injuries to being secured in an infant car seat in the middle rear compartment.

The truck lost several gallons of diesel fuel that was mopped away by volunteers of the Barnegat and Berkeley Township hazardous material squads, police said.

Also assisting were Stafford Township volunteer firefighters and emergency medical technicians, MONOC paramedics, and New Jersey State Police, and representatives form the New Jersey Department of Transportation.