Jackson teen driver charged in accident that killed three
BY DAVE BENJAMIN Staff Writer

JACKSON - The teenage driver of a 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer who was involved in a Sept. 10 accident on East Veterans Highway that claimed the lives of three people has been charged with four motor vehicle violations.

Ocean County Prosecutor Marlene Lynch Ford announced last week that Nicole N. Greenberg, 17, of Jackson, was charged with careless driving, failure to stay within marked lanes, violation of a provisional driver's license requirements and a seat belt violation in connection with the motor vehicle accident which took the lives of Kristen O'Hara, 19 of Dania, Fla., Julie Tracy, 17, of Jackson, and Alexandra Tenneriello, 19, of Jackson.

O'Hara was a former resident of Jackson and a 2006 graduate of Jackson Memorial High School. Tracy was a senior at Jackson Memorial High School. Tenneriello was a 2007 graduate of the Jackson School District Adult High School.

All three victims were riding in the car with Greenberg. None of the four girls was wearing a seat belt at the time of the accident, according to police.

"Ms. Greenberg was charged by Jackson Police Officer Christopher Kelly, who is conducting a joint investigation with the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Vehicular Homicide Unit," said media relations officer Capt. Mike Mohel of the prosecutor's office. "Under state law, summonses for certain offenses must be issued within 30 days of the alleged violation."

Mohel said the issuance of the summonses that were presented to Greenberg on Oct. 6 does not preclude more serious charges from being filed at a later date when additional information may be available.

According to a preliminary police investigation, the accident occurred on Sept. 10 at 4:27 p.m. on East Veterans Highway (Route 528), just south of the Van Hiseville Road intersection near the Jackson Little League field. Police said Greenberg lost control of the Mitsubishi, crossed the center line of the road and impacted the passenger side of a 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier, which was being driven by Natercia Clanton, 33, of Waretown.

Clanton and her mother, Rosa Moco, a passenger, were taken to CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township, and were later released. Anabela Moco, 31, the sister of the driver, who was also in the Chevrolet, was transported to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, and later released.

Police said all three occupants of the Chevrolet were wearing seat belts.

Mohel said the investigation is continuing and the filing of additional charges is possible. Anyone with information pertinent to the accident is asked to call the Vehicular Homicide Unit in the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office at (732) 929- 2027 or the Jackson Police Department Traffic and Safety Unit at (732) 928-1111.