4 hurt, including 2 police officers in Ocean Co. crash

PINE BEACH, N.J. -- Two southern New Jersey police officers and two other people were injured when a car crashed into a parked police cruiser during a motor vehicle stop.

Ocean County prosecutors say the accident occurred around 11:35 p.m. Friday in Pine Beach, shortly after borough officer Jesse Urban stopped a car on a Route 9. Another Pine Beach officer, Robert King, soon arrived at the scene and parked his cruiser behind Urban's vehicle.

A short time later, a sport utility vehicle driven by 43-year-old Jeffrey Carstens of Belmar entered the shoulder and struck King's cruiser, pushing it into Urban's vehicle. King was in his cruiser at the time, while Urban was outside his and was thrown about 20 feet by the impact.

Carstens' car eventually struck a utility pole, injuring him and his passenger, 38-year-old Marie Moss.

The car that Urban had stopped was not involved in the accident, and no one in that vehicle was injured.

The two officers were taken to the hospital, as were Carstens and Moss.

King was treated and released, while Urban remained hospitalized Saturday with broken ribs and severe lacerations to his head and face. Carstens and Moss were being treated for head and face lacerations.

Al Della Fave, a spokesman for the prosecutor's office, said Carsten and Moss had left a wedding reception in nearby Berkeley Township shortly before the crash occurred. Della Fave said charges were pending, but said the investigation was ongoing.

Della Fave said Urban, 23, has served with the Pine Beach force for about two months, while King, also 23, has been an officer there for nearly two years.