Man Charged with DWI in Erma Crash

UPDATE
Early Sunday morning, at approximately 3:40 am, the Lower Twp Police Communications Center received a 9-1-1 call reporting a bad head-on collision of two vehicles on Breakwater Road, just east of Freedom Drive.
The first officers on scene reported the collision involved a 1991 Chevy work van and a 2002 Chevy Blazer, with two persons entrapped in the Blazer.
The Erma and Villas Fire Departments responded to the accident scene, along with Lower Twp Rescue and paramedics from Medic 9 and Medic 3.
Firefighters and Rescue personnel worked for nearly 30 minutes to free a 25 year old female passenger from the front seat of the vehicle and a 21 year old male passenger from the rear seat. The 25 year old female passenger was subsequently airlifted from the Cape May County Airport to Atlantic City Medical Center Trauma Unit with extensive leg injuries. All other parties involved were transported to Cape Regional Medical Center with various injuries.
Investigation on scene determined the Chevy van, operated by Jarred D. Matthews, age 20, of the 600 Block of Weeks Landing Road n the Erma section of Lower Township, had been proceeding eastbound on Breakwater Road when the van failed to negotiate a curve in the road and entered the westbound lane of Breakwater Road, striking the Chevy Blazer which was being operated by Darren R. Walker, age 21, of the 100 Block of Croydon Drive in the township’s North Cape May section, head on.
After striking Walker’s vehicle, the van continued to slide across the westbound lane. It then left the roadway and struck a mailbox of a residence in the 200 Block of Breakwater Road, pushing the mailbox into a parked vehicle at that location.
Both vehicles received extensive front end damage. Debris from the impact was thrown many yards from the accident site, including the left front wheel assembly from the van, which was ripped away at impact.
Due to the extent of damage to the vehicles and serious injuries to passengers, the Lower Twp Police Dept. requested the assistance of the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office Major/Fatal Accident Investigation Unit. As a result of the accident investigation, Jarred Matthews was charged with the following motor vehicle and criminal charges: Driving While Intoxicated, Failure to Maintain Lane, Two counts of Assault with a Motor Vehicle (3rd Degree crimes).
The accident is under investigation by CPL Ernest Macomber, Patrolman William McPherson and the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office Major/Fatal Accident Investigation Unit.
ERMA — Two people were injured in a motor vehicle crash on Breakwater Road, Sun., April 17 about 3:30 a.m.
Lower Township Rescue transported one victims, the other was flown by helicopter to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Division.
Medics 9 and 3 were dispatched to the scene along with Erma and Villas firefighters, who used the Jaws of Life hydraulic tool to free the victims from the sport utility vehicle.
Lower Township police are investigating the incident.