The couple, who lived in Toms River, were in a car that left the road on a curved section of the route and struck a home, igniting a large fire. Police said the driver suffered a medical incident before the crash. He died at a hospital, and his wife was flown to Cooper Medical Center in critical condition.

The homeowners and their dog were inside when the car hit the residence, according to neighbor Benito Rinaudo. They were not in the bedroom where the vehicle struck and were not injured, he said, but the damage displaced them.

Rinaudo said crashes have been a recurring concern on the curve, where the posted speed limit is 35 mph. He described the latest incident as the most severe he had seen and said there had been two or three crashes a year in the area. He also recalled a 2022 crash in which a vehicle went off the road and hit a tree.

Rinaudo said he has installed a flashing arrow sign and placed logs along the roadside, and has contacted the county about crashes. He said officials had previously determined that no action was needed based on their findings. The cause of Monday’s crash remains under investigation.

The crash has renewed neighbors’ concerns about safety on the curved stretch, though investigators have not said whether roadway conditions contributed to this incident.