NJ man crossing Route 571 struck, killed by 2 SUVs

MANCHESTER — A Toms River man is dead after being struck and killed while crossing near an intersection along a county highway in Manchester Saturday night.

Cops found the victim in the northbound left lane of Route 571/Ridgeway Road just north of Washington Avenue around 10:30 p.m., according to the Manchester police. The section of road sits between a plaza parking lot and a funeral home.

The victim has been identified as 45-year-old Paul Mount. He died at the scene despite officers' efforts to perform live-saving measures, police said.

Mount was hit first by a Ford Explorer and then a Toyota Highlander, both headed north, according to police. The drivers and passengers of both vehicles stayed at the scene.

Investigators found that Mount was crossing where there was no crosswalk.

"The investigation into the crash is still ongoing, but at this point, crossing the roadway in an area with no crosswalk during nighttime conditions appears to be the primary contributing factor," police said in a statement.

Officer Michael O’Hara is handling the investigation.