Six vehicles were damaged and three people, including two children, were hospitalized after the three hit-and-run crashes.
STAFFORD TOWNSHIP - A 41-year-old township woman was charged with driving while intoxicated after she was reportedly involved in three hit-and-run crashes on Wednesday afternoon.
At approximately 4:50 p.m. the Stafford Township Police Department received a report of a hit and run involving a red Ford Mustang in the area of Route 9 North and Oxycocus Road.
Before officers arrived at the scene, the police department received additional calls that a red Ford Mustang was involved in an accident at the intersection of Route 9 and Hilliard Boulevard and fled the scene.
As the vehicle fled the second accident, it struck another vehicle at the same intersection, police said.
The accidents heavily damaged the vehicle and it lost a tire and fled the scene driving on the tire rim.
Police located the vehicle a short distance away at a residence on Willow Court, where the engine of the vehicle was smoking heavily.
A subsequent investigation determined that Veronica Belluscio, 41, of Stafford Township, was the operator of the 2000 Ford Mustang involved in the accidents. She was placed under arrest and charged with driving while intoxicated, police said.
Five vehicles, other than Belluscio's vehicle, were damaged as a result of the crashes, with three people being transported to Southern Ocean Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries, police said.
In the first crash at Route 9 and Oxycocus Road, Belluscio struck a 2016 Lexus Rx3 - operated by Wendy A. Tomasello, 49, of Manahawkin - which was pushed into a 2005 Honda CRV, operated by Diana Dabrowski, 62, of West Creek, police said.
In the second crash, at Route 9 and Hillard Boulevard, Belluscio struck a 2012 Chevy Equinox being operated by Lindsay Hoosack, 32, of Barnegat, who had a 3-year-old female and 9-month-old female in the vehicle. Hoosack was transported to the hospital for neck pain and the two children were also transported to the hospital to be checked out, police said.
The Equinox was pushed into a 2011 Lincoln MKZ, operated by Amy Fence, 43, of Manahawkin, in that crash.
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In the third accident, also at Route 9 and Hilliard Boulevard, Belluscio struck a 2005 GMC Savannah, operated by Richard Coffman, 69, of Manahawkin, police said,
In addition to driving while intoxicated, Belluscio was charged with one count of resisting arrest, reckless driving, careless driving, three counts of leaving the scene of an accident, three counts of failure to report an accident, two counts of improper passing.
She was processed and released pending a future court appearance.
Rob Spahr may be reached at rspahr@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheRobSpahr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.