Florida Woman Dies In Lacey Crash, Police Chief Says

LACEY TOWNSHIP, NJ - A Florida woman died early this evening after her car was struck head-on by a vehicle driven by a Whiting man whose vehicle left his lane and crossed over into hers on Lacey Road, Police Chief Michael C. DiBella said.

Elizabeth Patashinsky, 40, from Cocoa, Florida was traveling east on Lacey Road at 3:37 pm. on Friday when a car driven by William Orr, 67, left the western lane of Lacey Road and crossed over into the eastbound lane, the chief said.

The accident occurred in the West Lacey Road area near the Bamber Lake VFW, the chief said.

Patashinsky had to be extricated from her vehicle and suffered significant injuries as a result of the crash. She later succumbed to her injuries at Community Medical Center in Toms River. Her passenger, William Muset, 63, Whiting, was taken to Community with chest pain. He is listed in stable condition. Orr was not seriously injured, DiBella said.

The Forked River and Bamber Lakes Fire Companies, MONOC Paramedics, and ambulances from Lacey Township EMS and Quality Medical Transport responded. The Ocean County Sheriff’s Department CSI Unit also responded to assist in the investigation, as well as members of the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Support Team.

The collision remains under investigation by members of the Lacey Township Crash Team.

The accident closed sections of Lacey Road for more than three hours.

Photo: Courtesy of Lacey Township police department