Victims in Head-On New Jersey Crash That Sent Car Airborne Identified

A teenager, a 20-year-old woman and a 50-year-old man died in a three-vehicle collision on a busy New Jersey road Tuesday after the teenager lost control of his car and veered into oncoming traffic going the opposite way, authorities said.

A 25-year-old man injured in the 3:45 p.m. crash remains hospitalized in critical condition.

Prosecutors say Nicholas Dever, 19, of Freehold Borough, was behind the wheel of a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta traveling south on the Kosloski Road overpass at Route 33 when he lost control of his car, crossed the center line and smashed head-on into a 2006 Honda Pilot being driven by 50-year-old Thomas Koller, who was driving in a northbound lane.

The force of the impact forced both vehicles to rotate clockwise and the Honda went airborne, colliding with a 1994 Toyota Camry driven by the lone survivor of the accident. Authorities described the 25-year-old survivor's condition Wednesday as "extremely critical."

Keller, of Freehold, and Denver were both pronounced dead at the scene, along with 20-year-old Noelle DeLuccio, of Howell, who was riding in Dever's car.

Prosecutors say all of the victims were wearing seatbelts, and their air bags deployed.

Marc LeMieux, a first assistant prosecutor with the Monmouth County district attorney's office, said the tragic accident was a wake-up call.

"You have to pay attention every second you're behind that vehicle, because that vehicle can become a weapon at any point in time if you do not pay attention," he said at a briefing Tuesday.

The Monmouth County prosecutor's office asks anyone who witnessed the crash to call 732-522-8885. 

Contact Us