Crash victim Linwood postal worker

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Crash victim Linwood postal worker

By EMILY PREVITI Staff Writer, 609-272-7221

Published: Thursday, October 02, 2008

GALLOWAY TOWNSHIP - Police identified Wednesday the victims and drivers involved in an eight-car crash that killed a 66-year-old postal worker.

Martha M. Perez, of Linwood, was killed when a box truck rear-ended her Jeep at about 4:25 p.m. Tuesday, police said. Perez had been stopped and waiting to make a left from the eastbound side of Route 30 onto Frankfurt Avenue. The collision pushed her car into oncoming traffic on Route 30, where it was hit again by a truck, according to a statement released Wednesday by township police.

Perez's vehicle, a model formerly used exclusively by United States Postal Service, was destroyed beyond recognition by the collisions, which were so loud that bystanders mistook them for explosions.

Perez had worked as a rural carrier in Egg Harbor City since 1987, according to Postal Service spokesman Ray Daiutolo.

"This is a devastating tragedy," Daiutolo wrote in an e-mail. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family. We are focusing on helping her co-workers cope with this."

There was no mail in her vehicle, a 1983 AMG Jeep that Perez owned. She likely purchased it from the USPS to use for work, Daiutolo said.

Mail carriers used that model before they switched during the 1990s to the Grumman Long Life Vehicle, the bigger aluminum mail trucks seen today, Daiutolo said. USPS sold some of the AMG Jeeps to rural carriers, who are typically contract employees who use their own vehicles, he said.

Perez's family could not be reached Wednesday for comment.

The box truck driver, Joseph Kowal, 43, of Manville, Somerset County, also was unable to be reached Wednesday. He did not receive medical treatment after the crash, according to Galloway Sgt. Kevin Mott.

Police said they do not suspect Kowal was under the influence, but they drew blood from him to test for drugs and alcohol as part of the protocol for fatal accident investigations, Mott said.

Any charges in the case are pending the investigation, poilce said.

Pickup truck driver Samuel Whittaker, 79, of the Pomona section of Galloway, was flown the AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center, City Campus, where he remained Wednesday, according to his son Mark Whittaker.

After rolling over, Whittaker's pickup collided with a car driven by Pankeshku Gandhi, 39, of Brigantine, and carrying Mayur Kumar Raniya, 31, of Brookmill, N.Y., police said.

Debris from the collisions damaged cars driven by Galloway residents Maheshkum Patel, 55, and Dionne Anderson, 42.

Anderson was treated and released from AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center's Mainland Campus in Galloway, police said.

Diann Diggs, 58, of Sicklerville, Camden County, was also treated there for minor injuries after Kowal hit her car, according to the statement.

Kowal's box truck also struck an SUV carrying driver Colleen McWilliams, 21, of Shamong, Burlington County, and passenger John W. Marshall, 22, of Palmyra, Burlington County, police said.

Gandhi, Raniya, Patel, McWilliams and Marshall did not receive medical treatment, Mott said.

Galloway Cpl. Ed Fryling, Sgt. Paul Dooner, Detectives Michael Goldberg, Donna Buccaferni and Ro Latorocca; and Officers Greg Bollinger, Rich Barber and Derek Tilton are investigating with help from Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office Investigator Kevin Hincks and Sgt. Keith Fane, according to the statement

Galloway police were assisted by the New Jersey State Police Fatal Accident Unit and Commercial Vehicle Inspection Unit, as well as the Atlantic County Medical Examiner's Office, AtlantiCare Regional Medics, the New Jersey Department of Transportation and fire, rescue and law enforcement personnel from Atlantic County, Absecon, Egg Harbor City, Mullica Township, Hamilton Township and Pleasantville, according to the statement.

E-mail Emily Previti:

epreviti@pressofac.com