UPDATE: Rollover Accident Shuts Route 35

A Three-car collision shut a portion of Route 35 Thursday when a box truck overturned between north- and southbound lanes, police said.

The accident happened around 12:36 p.m. and closed the state highway in both directions between Lakewood Road and the South Wall Interchange for close to two hours, Sgt. Chad Clark said.

Sean R. O’Leary, 24, of Ocean Gate, was driving northbound on the Route 35 in a 2009 Saturn Vue and hit a 1979 Ford sedan driven by Aaron W. Larson, 60, of Point Pleasant, from behind. The impact forced Larson’s car into the southbound lanes where it was hit by a southbound 2005 Nissan box truck which then overturned and was stuck on the guardrail and concrete barrier that separates the north- and southbound lanes, Clark said.

The box truck was driven by Carlos L. Mendoza, 38 of Jersey City. Larson, Mendoza, and another passenger in the box truck -- Edgar R. Salazalban, 44 of Jersey City -- were all taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune Township, with non-life threatening injuries, Clark said.

Wall Township EMS, South Wall Fire Department, MONOC Paramedics, and the state Department of Transportation responded. O’ Leary was issued a summons for careless driving, Clark said.