6 Hurt In Route 37 Crash In Toms River; Man Charged With DUI

TOMS RIVER, NJ — A Brick Township man was charged with driving under the influence following a Route 37 crash that injured six people on Saturday, Toms River police said.

Derrick Demers, 30, of Brick, was driving east on Route 37 about 10 p.m. Saturday when he rear-ended a Jeep that was stopped at a red traffic signal at Washington Street, said Jillian Messina, media relations specialist for the Toms River Police Department.

Demers, who Messina said was reported to have been speeding when he hit the Jeep, continued through the intersection and crossed the westbound lanes before he hit the base of a traffic signal pole, she said.

All four people in the Jeep were injured, with two taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune and two taken to Community Medical Center, Messina said. One of the people taken to Community was transferred to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, she said.

The passenger in Demers' vehicle was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Messina said.

Demers, who suffered minor injuries, was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, reckless driving, and careless driving, she said.

Toms River Police Officer David Talty is investigating the crash.

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