Ocean Co. Woman Killed On Route 70 Lost Home In In Forest Fire

BRICK, NJ — A Brick Township woman who was struck and killed on Route 70 Monday night had lost most of her possessions when the March 14 forest fire in Lakewood and Brick consumed the campsite where she was living with her husband, friends said.

Kathleen Winits, 55, died Monday night after she was hit while crossing Route 70 near Olden Street, Brick police said.

Winits and her husband, Adam, had been living in one of the patches of woods that were consumed when the March 14 fire destroyed 167 acres of woods in Lakewood and Brick, their friend Cindy Lanouette wrote in a public post on Facebook Tuesday.

Lanouette volunteers with Rev. Steve Brigham and Destiny's Bridge, which assists the homeless in the Brick, Lakewood, and Howell. She said they got to know Winit and her husband, Adam, after the fire.

The couple told NJ.com in March that Kathleen Winiks was forced to flee their campsite, behind Target, as the fire approached, leaving behind all of their possessions. Adam was working a job in Lakewood at the time, the report said.

Lanouette said Brigham and Destiny's Bridge had worked to get the couple into a motel room, assisted by a number of donors.

"(They) were put up in a motel for the last few weeks, and weeks to come by very many beautiful people," Lanouette said.

Kathleen Winits was hit while crossing toward the Brick Motor Inn, and was not in a crosswalk, witnesses told police.

Lanouette said family members are working to put together a donation campaign to help with the cost of her funeral expenses. That campaign had not been finalized as of Wednesday.

"Please keep Adam, and his family in your prayers," Lanouette wrote. "We are heartbroken."

Patch will update this article when the donation campaign is announced.

This article has been corrected to reflect where Adam Winits was working at the time the couple's campsite was destroyed by the fire. Patch regrets the error.

Click here to get Patch email notifications, or download our app to have breaking news alerts sent right to your phone. Have a news tip? Email karen.wall@patch.com Follow Brick Patch on Facebook.