Woman struck, killed while

Woman struck,
killed while

crossing Rt. 9

By dave benjamin

Staff Writer

MANALAPAN — A Marlboro woman was struck and killed as she crossed Route 9 south on Sunday evening. Police said Malka Bornstein, 45, of Plowshare Court, was pronounced dead at the scene after rescue efforts failed.

The accident occurred shortly before midnight near the Excelsior catering facility. Manalapan police received a call at 11:52 p.m. reporting that a pedestrian had been struck on Route 9 south. Although the circumstances surrounding the cause of the accident are still under investigation, according to Manalapan Police Capt. Stuart C. Brown, preliminary reports indicate Bornstein was struck as she and her husband attempted to cross Route 9 south at a pedestrian crosswalk.

"Mr. and Mrs. Bornstein were traveling west from the northbound side of Route 9 to the southbound shoulder," Brown said.

According to a police report, the location where the accident occurred on Route 9 is a four-lane highway with two lanes in each direction. It is divided by a grassy median and curb.

Bornstein’s husband, Israel, was not injured, but was transported to CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township, for treatment of shock.

Police identified the driver of the 2002 Hyundai Accent which struck Bornstein as Jaci L. Summerer, 20, of Sayreville, Middlesex County.

As a result of the accident, Route 9 south was closed to traffic for more than three hours.

The pedestrian crosswalk where Sunday’s fatal accident occurred is near the area where the Township Committee has been making attempts to install a fence so that people cannot cross Route 9 outside the boundaries of the pedestrian crosswalk near a traffic light.

According to Committeewoman Beth Ward, the township transportation committee is working to get permission to install the fence.

Deputy Mayor Bill Scherer said the township is waiting for a permit from the state Department of Transportation for the fence and an agreement by the owners of the Towne Pointe shopping center to put in sidewalks which would stretch from the nearby Foodtown shopping center to the end of the Towne Pointe shopping center.

The proposed fence would be placed in the Route 9 median near the Gordons Corner Road bus stop and go up to the crosswalk area.

"If a fence was in place, it would not have helped (in this case)," Brown said. "Mr. and Mrs. Bornstein were crossing in the crosswalk."

Brown said the area is fairly well lit.

"I was out there after the accident occurred," the captain said. "You have lighting from the Excelsior parking lot and from the strip mall across the street. For walking, it’s very well lit. For driving, there might be more of a glare that might make it difficult to see. I’m not sure. When the officers do their investigation, they will (also) have to determine the speed (of the vehicle)."

Brown said there didn’t seem to be much out of the ordinary in terms of the operation of the car.

"There is a possibility that the pedestrians may have been crossing against the light," said the captain.

In the past, officers from the traffic department went out and videotaped the pedestrian crossing. Sgt. Kenneth Gibson said the township is fortunate to have as few accidents as there are.

"We went out and videotaped the area where the pedestrian crossing is located," Gibson said. "It’s truly amazing that the statistics are not through the roof."

Sunday’s fatal accident is being investigated by Manalapan patrolmen Brian Carhart and Kevin McIntosh; by the Monmouth County Serious Collision Analysis Team; and by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.