VNA Speaks Up on Rumson Accident

VNA President and CEO Dr. Stephen Landers has issued a statement concerning Thursday's Rumson accident involving a VNA van shuttling people to and from the organization's Stately Homes by the Sea tour.

At the time of the accident, police could not confirm that the van was a VNA vehicle and/or that it was transporting people to and from the tour.

The investigation has since been turned over to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office and no further information has been released other than that the victim remains in critical condition at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune.

Lander's statement, in part, reads:

"I am saddened to tell you that the Show House shuttle van was in a serious accident while transporting Show House participants ... We know that several people were injured and are currently being treated at a local hospital. We don’t have anymore details confirmed at this time.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to anyone who was injured, and we are fully working with the Rumson police and our employees to try and help in any way we can ..."

Landers added, in his statement on the VNA website, that when further information becomes available, he will share it with the public.

When originally reported on Thursday afternoon, the following was the information obtained from Rumson Police Chief Scott Paterson, who was at the scene:

An accident near Rumson Country Club this afternoon has sent one person to Jersey Shore University Medical Center's Trauma Unit via MONOC medevac helicopter.

The call for the accident came in at 1:19 p.m., Rumson Police Chief Scott Paterson said, when a dump truck and multi-passenger (VNA) van, both traveling eastbound on Rumson Road near Conover Lane, collided.

"We believe, but cannot confirm at this point, that the dump truck was attempting to make a right hand turn onto Conover Lane when it struck the multi-passenger van," Paterson said. "The passenger seated in the right front of the van was severely injured and transported to Jersey Shore."

The medevac helicopter landed at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School football field to transport the severely injured person.

Chief Paterson could not release the name of the victim, as family had not yet been notified.

The accident is being investigated by Rumson police with the Monmouth County Emergency Response Team assisting.

Sea Bright Fire Rescue posted photos and a video of the helicopter landing at R-FH on its Facebook page. To see them, click here.

* This story will be updated when further information can be released by police.