Flowers have been placed outside Meg’s Grill in memory of 56-year-old Ursula Keating, who was killed when a car crashed into the restaurant’s outdoor dining area.
LAVALLETTE, N.J. — Meg’s Grill remained closed Monday as the Lavallette community mourned a 56-year-old Toms River woman who was killed when a vehicle crashed into the restaurant’s outdoor dining area Saturday morning.
The victim was identified as Ursula Keating, a mother and the wife of John Keating, chief of the Silverton Volunteer Fire Company in Toms River. Flowers have been placed outside the restaurant in her memory.
The crash happened shortly after 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, as a 93-year-old Lavallette woman was attempting to park a 2014 Buick Encore near Meg’s Grill on Grand Central Avenue, according to Lavallette police.
Police said the driver apparently pressed the accelerator instead of the brake, causing the vehicle to rapidly accelerate into the restaurant’s outdoor dining area. The vehicle then struck the building. Keating was killed, while seven other restaurant patrons were injured and taken to hospitals. The driver suffered minor injuries.
Authorities have not announced any charges, and the investigation remains ongoing. Police have not released details about the conditions of the seven injured patrons.
The crash also damaged Cornerstone Wines & Liquors next door. The building has been deemed unsafe, according to News 12. Meg’s Grill said its own building was not damaged, although the restaurant has remained closed following the tragedy.
The restaurant expressed condolences to Keating’s family and said its “hearts are broken” following the incident. Meg’s Grill has said it plans to reopen Tuesday.
The tragedy has also prompted discussion among some local residents about safety measures around outdoor dining areas located close to parking spaces and moving vehicles. CBS New York reported that some residents questioned whether protective barriers could help shield outdoor diners from vehicles that veer into seating areas.
For Keating’s family and the local firefighting community, however, the immediate focus remains on mourning her death. Fire companies in the area have publicly expressed condolences to the Keating family and the Silverton Volunteer Fire Company.
Why it matters
The crash highlights the potentially devastating consequences when a vehicle unexpectedly enters a pedestrian or outdoor dining area, while leaving the community awaiting further findings from the police investigation.
