Elderly man airlifted from accident

BRICK TOWNSHIP - An elderly township man was seriously injured when he was struck by a car recently as he attempted to cross Chambers Bridge Road, police said.

John F. Auerbacher, 81, suffered head trauma, pelvic fractures and a fractured rib in the accident, which occurred at 3:10 p.m. on Jan. 19 near the entrance to Kohl's Plaza, police said.

Auerbacher failed to use the marked crosswalk on the south side of the intersection when he tried to cross Chambers Bridge Road on the north side of the intersection to the east side of the roadway, police said.

The traffic signal changed to green when Auerbacher started to cross and an unidentified white car in the left northbound lane swerved to avoid him. He was then struck by a 2001 BMW sports-utility vehicle driven by Talia L. Pereira, 24, Toms River, as he entered the northbound lane, police said.

Pereira, 24, Toms River was traveling northbound on Chambers Bridge Road in the right lane and was stopped at a red light at the intersection to the entrance to Kohl's Plaza. She continued going northbound when the light turned green, police said.

Auerbacher was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center by the Brick Township police EMS unit with MONOC paramedics on board.

Patrolmen Jeffrey Lindquist and Jay Lampiasi of the police department's traffic safety unit are investigating.