Mays Landing Man Facing DWI, Drug Charges Following Four-Vehicle Crash

Traffic was jammed just before 9:00 Tuesday morning on a busy stretch of Route 40 in Mays Landing after police say a person who was driving while intoxicated caused a four-vehicle crash that injured one person.

According to a press release from the Hamilton Township Police Department, the crash happened on Route 40 near New York Avenue. An investigation revealed that a minivan being driven by 38-year-old Jeffrey Chudzinski of Mays Landing was traveling westbound on Route 40 when he swerved into the eastbound lane. A car driven by 57-year-old Tracie Johnson of Mays Landing was traveling eastbound and attempted to avoid the collision by swerving. Chudzinski struck the left rear portion of Johnson’s vehicle, then crashed head-on into a JAC Medi transport van operated by 26-year-old Jean Torres-Malpica of Vineland. The impact forced the transport van backwards into another car being driven by 29-year-old Jeremy Allen of Millville.

Cops say one passenger in the transport van suffered facial injuries; no one else was hurt.

Chudzinski was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, driving while suspended, unlicensed driver, failure to maintain lane, careless driving, reckless driving, CDS in a motor vehicle, possession of heroin, and operating a motor vehicle during a period of license suspension for DWI. Chudzinski was lodged in the Atlantic County Justice Facility on several unrelated warrants.

The eastbound side of Route 40 was closed for about an hour while the scene was cleared.