Crossing Guard Out of ICU After Accident, Driver Issued Summones

The 78-year-old Lawrence Township crossing guard struck by a tractor-trailer truck has been moved out of Intensive Car, but remains in the Trauma Unit in stable condition at Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Hopewell, according to Lawrence Township Police. 

Frank Novatkoski, 78, of Pear Street, suffered head and upper body injuries on Friday after being struck at the intersection of Lawrence Road (Route 206) and Eggerts Crossing Road around 7 a.m., according to Police.

The driver of the vehicle that struck Novarkoski has been issued motor vehicle summonses, Lawrence Township Police said Monday. 

Christopher Bloom, 30, of Morrisville, Pa., who driving a 1998 Kenworth truck with a tanker trailer for Reber Corporation when the accident occurred, has been issued motor vehicle summonses for failure to observe a red light and reckless driving. 

Bloom was driving north on Lawrence Road when he swerved to avoid hitting Novatkoski, who was crossing the road. Bloom reportedly missed the crossing guard with the tractor portion of the truck, but struck him with the trailer portion as he passed, knocking Novatkoski to the ground. 

Novatkoski, who has been employed as a Lawrence Township crossing guard for six years, was unresponsive at the scene, Police said.

The intersection where the accident occurred is controlled by a traffic signal.
 
The accident remains under investigation. 

Anyone who witnessed this accident or has information is urged to contact Lawrence Township Police at 609-896-1111.

This is not the first time a crossing guard has been hurt at this location. On Dec. 14, 2010, Anthony Sebasto Sr., then 83, suffered nine broken ribs, three broken vertebrae in his spine and other internal injuries when he was hit by a car as he set up his school crossing post. 

Several years earlier on Feb. 14, 2002, beloved school crossing guard Robert “Bob” Gernhart, 70, was killed nearby when he was struck by a car at his post on Lawrence Road (Route 206) at Lawrence Avenue in front of the Church of Saint Ann.

After his father's accident, Anthony Sebasto Jr. implored former Lawrence officials to lower the  speed limit on Lawrence Road, between Darrah Lane and the Harneys Corner intersection (Princeton Avenue/Princeton Pike), before another pedestrian was struck.

Sebasto Jr. said he could document at least 32 instances of crossing guards being hit by vehicles in New Jersey in just over 10 years’ time. Three of those, he noted, occurred within a one-third-mile stretch of Lawrence Road – the accident involving his father, the accident that took the life of Gernhart, and another accident on Dec. 7, 1999, in which Police Officer Michael Yeh was hit by a car while he worked a crossing guard post at the same intersection where Gernhart was killed.

Several months later, Lawrence Township officials reduced the speed limit on Route 206 (Lawrence Road) between Skillman and Brearley avenues from 40 mph to 35 mph. NJ DOT also installed a new traffic light at Route 206 and Darrah Lane.