OBHS senior killed in Route 34 accident

OLD BRIDGE - A 17-year-old township girl was killed Tuesday, just two days before she was to start her senior year in high school, when her car was struck by a tractor-trailer on Route 34.

Ashley Barton, a peer leader at Old Bridge High School, was on her way home from the school at the time of the accident, having helped with the day's freshman orientation, according to Lori Luicci, teacher and spokeswoman for the school district.

The accident took place at 2:56 p.m. when Barton, driving a Honda Civic, was turning from Spring Hill Road onto Route 34 southbound. A southbound tractor-trailer driven by Manuel Rodriguez-Vasquez, of Helmetta, struck Barton's vehicle, causing it to be pinned underneath the truck, which then went off the road and into a fence.

A third vehicle was also involved in the collision, police said. Cynthia Ekleberry, of Union Beach, was the driver of that car, a Volkswagen, which had been headed north on Route 34. Ekleberry was treated for minor injuries at Raritan Bay Medical Center in Old Bridge.

Rodriguez-Vasquez was not injured in the accident.

Barton was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Old Bridge Police Lt. Robert Weiss.

No charges were filed in the accident, which is still under investigation. The crash resulted in Route 34 being closed for approximately three hours.

Barton was to be a senior when school began yesterday at Old Bridge High School. As one of 120 peer leaders - seniors who receive credit to assist younger students making the transition to high school - she was on hand to help with freshman orientation Tuesday, and was to do the same for sophomore orientation on Wednesday. Sophomores have orientation because they attend school in the building with juniors and seniors, while the freshmen have their own building.

School officials called the peer leaders in early on Wednesday to discuss the loss and to give the students the opportunity to meet with grief counselors. These include guidance counselors, student assistance counselors and Child Study Team members. The grief counselors were also being made available to students on the first day of school yesterday.

Superintendent of Schools Simon Bosco said Barton was a B-plus, honors student who was distinguished in terms of her community service. He called her "one of our rising seniors." She was also a member of the Spanish Honor Society.

"She was a great student and had a very bright future ahead of her," he said. "It's a shame. It's a loss for her family and to the school."

Barton, a lifelong Old Bridge resident, is survived by her parents, Tracy and Jon Pulaski, her sister Nicole, and grandparents Walter R. Kreiss, Charles and Barbara Pulaski, and Charles J. Barton.

Visitation will be held today, Friday, from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. at the Gundrum Service, Bordentown Avenue, in South Amboy, with a service tomorrow at noon at the funeral home.

- Brian Donahue