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WHEELCHAIR BOUND MAN KILLED CROSSING CHAMBERS BRIDGE ROAD
Second Fatality At Location In A Month
By Keith Hagarty
A 69-year-old resident of the Forge Pond Apartments senior complex was killed last week while trying to cross Chambers Bridge Road in his motorized wheelchair.
Harry A. Genovese Jr. was struck by a vehicle on the evening of November 12 in front of the Brick Post Office. According to a police report, Genovese had been wearing dark clothing and had no lights or reflectors on his wheelchair as he attempted to cross the road against a red light.
The driver, Patrick Judge, of the Allenwood section of Wall, was driving a 2006 Infiniti M35 southbound on Chambers Bridge Road when he hit Genovese, who was attempting to cross the road westbound towards the post office, said police.
Genovese was conscious shortly following the accident when police arrived and able to communicate with the officers. However, he died a few hours later after being transported for emergency treatment at Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.
No charges have been filed in the accident.
Genovese's death marks the second fatality to occur at the site in less than a month, and the fifth in the last three years, after 74- year-old William Gregson was also killed while trying to cross the heavily traveled road. Gregson stepped in front of a patrol car driven by on-duty Patrolman Scott Smith. Police said that Gregson had also been wearing dark clothing, and was not using the designated crosswalk on Chambers Bridge Road.
In response to Gregson's death, the township council held an open forum on how best to address the situation at their caucus meeting last month.
However, since Chambers Bridge Road is a county road, the township's hands are somewhat tied when it comes to the municipality enacting any immediate remedy proposed by the town, said Mayor Steve Acropolis.
"We're going to do our best to make the county understand," Acropolis said following Gregson's death last month.
Pedestrians should always be cognizant of pushing the crosswalk buttons at an intersection's traffic light when attempting to cross, said township administrator Scott Pezarras. Pushing the button gives pedestrians attempting crossing the road an additional 15 seconds before the traffic signals change.
During the council's meeting last month, residents pleaded with the council to protect the safety of pedestrians on the busy roadway. With several senior housing complexes and retail centers located in the area, some recommended measures by residents included upgrading lighting at crosswalks, more sidewalks, a center apron and the use of reflective tape.
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