A former Miss New Jersey and TV anchor was critically injured in a crash Monday evening, police say.
Cara McCollum, who was crowned Miss New Jersey in 2013 and is an anchor for SNJ Today, was hurt when her car spun off the road as it headed north on state Route 55 in Pittsgrove Township at about 7 p.m., according to state police.
Her car hit a tree head-on, then slammed into two more before careening to the bottom of an embankment, police say. McCollum, who is originally from Arkansas, was the only person in the car at the time.
The crash was under investigation Tuesday, but it appears that wet roads may have played a role. McCollum was wearing a seat belt at the time.
McCollum was taken to a hospital after the crash and remains was in critical condition Tuesday.
McCollum joined Millville-based SNJ Today to anchor its first-ever news broadcasts in July. She earned her bachelor’s degree in English with a certificate in journalism from Princeton University in 2015. She was valedictorian of the class of 2010 at Forrest City High School in Forrest City, Arkansas.
In a Facebook a post Tuesday, SNJ Today called the anchor a "beloved member" of the station's family.
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“She and her family are in our thoughts and prayers,” the post said.
