Home » Fatal Car Crash in Hopewell Township

Fatal Car Crash in Hopewell Township

by Mary Galioto

Just after midnight, Hopewell Township Police along with the Hopewell Fire Department and Emergency Medical Unit, the Pennington Fire Department, the Pennington First Aid Squad, the Union Rescue Squad, the Amwell Valley Rescue Squad, and paramedics from Capital Health were dispatched to a motor vehicle crash on State Highway 31 south of Route 518. Officers arrived and found that a Chevy Cobalt and a Ford Focus had collided.

The Chevy Cobalt was driven by Joel MacArthur (21 years of age), of Annabeth Road, Oley, Pennsylvania. Mr. MacArthur was extricated from his vehicle and was transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center. **The front seat male passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. He was extricated from the vehicle and was transported to the Mercer County Medical Examiner’s Facility. **The rear seat male passenger was extricated from the vehicle and was flown to Capital Health Regional Medical Center where he succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead.

The Ford Focus was driven by Devon Tomb (28 years of age), of Oakwood Village, Flanders, New Jersey. Mr. Tomb was extricated from his vehicle and was flown to Capital Health Regional Medical Center by a medevac helicopter. The car was also occupied by a front seat female passenger, Christine Thompson (27 years of age), of Oakwood Village, Flanders, New Jersey. Ms. Thompson was extricated from the vehicle and was flown to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick by a medevac helicopter.

Investigation into the crash revealed that Mr. MacArthur was traveling southbound along Route 31 while Mr. Tomb was traveling northbound. The cars collided in the northbound lane causing Mr. Tomb’s car to leave the roadway. Mr. MacArthur’s car came to rest in the middle of the road. The roadway is one lane in each direction. No other vehicles were involved.

The road remained closed between Route 612 and Route 518 while investigators and State DOT personnel cleared the roadway. West Amwell Police, Pennington Borough Police and Hopewell Fire Police assisted with detouring traffic.

The crash is being investigated by Officer Kevin Koveloski, Detective Mike Sherman, Detective Louis Vastola and Detective Anthony Abarno of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.

Anyone who may have witnessed this crash is asked to contact Detective Mike Sherman. The crash remains under investigation.

**The release of the identities of the two deceased passengers is pending proper notifications.

 

About Us

MercerMe is the only hyperlocal, independent, online news outlet serving Hopewell Valley in Mercer County, New Jersey.

Contact us: [email protected]

Search Our Archives