3 December, 1991 (~estimated)

Driver and Tot Injured In Shopping Center Crash

A 41-year-old Township resident and her 9-month-old daughter were injured Saturday afternoon when their car was involved in a collision on Harrison Street near the south exit of the Princeton Shopping Center.

According to P11. Judd Petrone, who is investigating, a Volvo operated by Rebecca Garza, 43, 87 Hemlock Circle, was traveling north on Harrison. A red Toyota Tercel driven by Rena Lederman, 41, of 94 Linden Lane, was exiting from the mall’s south exit when the cars collided at 2:15 p.m.

The Lederman car was a total loss and members of the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad had to use Jaws of Life equipment to extricate her and her infant daughter, Jayne Merrill, from their crushed car. Mrs. Lederman was flown by helicopter to the Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick where she was admitted in stable but critical condition with back and neck injuries. A hospital spokesman on Monday listed her condition as satisfactory.

Ptl. Petrone said that the infant appeared to be all right but was taken to Princeton Medical Center; Ms. Garza was not injured but was taken to the Medical Center for observation. Her car sustained front end damage.

Because he has not been able to talk to Mrs. Lederman, Ptl. Petrone said this week that the accident was still under investigation.