Accident claims lives of three young women
BY DAVE BENJAMIN & MARK ROSMAN Staff Writers

Julie Tracy

JACKSON - The lives of three young women ended tragically on Sept. 11 when they died of injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident. The two-car crash occurred shortly before 4:30 p.m. Sept. 10 on East Veterans Highway near Van Hiseville Road.

On Sept. 12, Capt. Mike Mohel, media relations officer for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, confirmed the deaths of Julie Tracy, 17, of Jackson, a senior at Jackson Memorial High School, and Kristen O'Hara, 19, of Dania, Fla., a former resident of Jackson who graduated from Jackson Memorial in 2006.

O'Hara was pronounced dead at 2:55 p.m. Sept. 11 and Tracy was pronounced dead at 4:50 p.m. Sept. 11 by doctors at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, Mohel said.

Tracy was an award-winning editor of the JMHS literary magazine.

In March, following a motor vehicle accident that claimed the lives of Jackson Memorial students Andrew Miller, 17, and his sister Shatone Glover, 16, Tracy put her literary skills to use and penned the following poem:
Wonderful people
So bright, not dull.
There, then taken away.
Most tragic event -
Completely heartfelt,
Tore this town apart.
Walking through school hallways,
Filled with hundreds of grieving faces,
Yet there's no sound;
A standstill.
Absolutely silent.
The weather,
The road,
The woods -
Speed.
We won't forget.
Our bodies cry out -
And shutter.
Mouths muffled,
Eyes shut.

The poem turned out to be an eerie foreshadowing of the fate that befell its young author six months later.

In May, Tracy was included in Greater Media Newspapers' Future Leaders special section that shone a spotlight on many of the region's outstanding young people.

The information in her profile noted that she had been the editor in chief and was currently the literary editor of "Jackson Views," her school's literary magazine. A previous story in the Tri-Town News reported that in 2006, when Tracy was the co-editor, "Jackson Views" was named best in New Jersey by the American Scholastic Press Association.

In a letter of recommendation that accompanied Tracy's information for the Fu- ture Leaders section, Bruce Miller, the literary magazine adviser, wrote, "During my association with Julie, she always demonstrates a well-developed intellectual purpose in all her written work and projects, and is extremely dedicated to any endeavor she pursues … Julie Tracy is an absolutely wonderful young lady who is amiable, punctual and a pleasure to know … I am sure she is destined for greatness … "

Tracy was the daughter of Robert and Pamela Tracy. As part of a packet of information that Pamela Tracy provided to Greater Media Newspapers about her daughter, Pamela Tracy wrote, "Julie is a brilliant jewel among all of the world's gems; loving, kind and intelligent."

The teenager was hoping to pursue a career in journalism or advertising, and to possibly establish her own business, according to her profile in the May 2007 Future Leaders special section of the Tri-Town News.

On Sept. 11, Jackson police identified Alexandra Tenneriello, 19, of Jackson, a 2007 graduate of the Jackson School District Adult High School, as the first fatality in the accident. Tenneriello died at 2:40 a.m. Sept. 11, according to Jackson police Traffic Safety Bureau Sgt. Brian J. Geoghegan.

Tracy, O'Hara and Tenneriello were passengers in a 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer that was being driven by Nicole Greenberg, 17, a current student at the Jackson School District Adult High School. In the aftermath of the accident, Greenberg was taken to CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township, and later released.

A preliminary investigation by Jackson police determined that Greenberg lost control of her vehicle and crossed the center line of East Veterans Highway. The vehicle struck the passenger side of a 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier that was being driven by Natercia Clanton, 33, of Waretown.

Geoghegan said police are considering the wet road conditions, Greenberg's inexperience as a driver and the possibility of excessive speed as causes of the accident. He said no determination as to the definite cause of the accident had been made as of Sept. 14.

Clanton and her mother Rosa Moco, of Jackson, a passenger in the vehicle, were taken to CentraState Medical Center.

CentraState spokesperson Leslie Nicholson said Clanton was treated and released, while Rosa Moco was admitted to the hospital and as of Sept. 12 was listed in stable condition.

Anabela Moco, 31, of Jackson, the sister of the driver, was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center for treatment of what were described as non-life threatening injuries. A hospital spokesman said Moco was in good condition on Sept. 12 and was expected to be released later that day.

Police said none of the people in the Mitsubishi were restrained, while all of the people in the Chevrolet were wearing restraint devices.

An investigation into the cause of the accident is continuing and anyone with information about the accident is asked to call the Vehicular Homicide Unit of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office at (732) 929-2027 or the Jackson Police Department Traffic and Safety Unit at (732) 928-1111.

Mohel said that as of Sept. 12 no charges had been filed against anyone.