Two police officers are recovering after a car accident in South Jersey.
Officials say Pine Beach Police Officers Jesse Urban and Robert King, both 23 years old, pulled over a car on Route 9 near Atlantic Boulevard in Pine Beach, New Jersey shortly after 11:30 p.m. on Friday. Both officers had traveled in separate police vehicles.
As they stood outside the vehicle they pulled over, another car traveling north on Route 9 struck the first police car causing it to slam into the second police car. The collision sent the second car into a light pole.
The two officers, the driver of the striking vehicle, identified as Jeffrey Carstens, 43, of Belmar, NJ and his passenger, 38-year-old Marie Moss, were injured in the crash. No one in the vehicle that was originally stopped was hurt.
King was treated and released while Urban suffered broken ribs as well as face and head lacerations. He is currently in stable condition.
Both Carstens and Moss suffered lacerations to the head and face. Investigators say the two were coming from a wedding and were not wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. Investigators also say there was a smell of alcohol in the vehicle. Charges are pending toxicology results.
Route 9 between Pine Beach and Toms River was closed due to the accident, and police say a stretch will likely remain shut through Saturday morning.
