A former beauty queen is in critical condition after crashing her speeding sports car into several trees on a rain-slicked New Jersey road, authorities said.
Cara McCollum, who was Miss New Jersey 2013, was driving north on Route 55 in Pittsgrove Township when her Ford Mustang spun off the road at 6:53 p.m. Monday, state police said Tuesday.
The car hit a tree before spinning again and smashing into two more trees, officials said.
The vehicle finally came to rest on an embankment, and her air bag deployed.
She was not wearing her seat belt, according to police.
McCollum, 24, was rushed to Cooper University Health Care in Camden in critical condition. Medical officials declined to comment at the request of the beauty queen’s family, a hospital spokeswoman said.
.@CaraMcCollum_TV, SNJ Today news anchor is recovering from critical injuries sustained in an accident last evening. pic.twitter.com/VKbA00AWbO
— SNJ Today (@SNJToday) February 16, 2016
She underwent brain surgery on Tuesday, according to McCollum’s friend David Holtzman, an Atlantic City art-gallery owner.
“I’m just holding my breath. This is unbelievable,” a shaken Holtzman told The Post.
“She’s just a wonderful person, never one with that egotistical thing going on.”
Drugs and alcohol do not appear to be a factor.
McCollum is a reporter for “SNJ Today,” a local cable news service in southern New Jersey. In a statement on Tuesday, the station said, “Cara is a beloved member of our ‘SNJ Today’ family. She and her family are in our thoughts and prayers.”
Her recent stories included preparations for snowfall on Monday and a profile of local florists gearing up for the busy Valentine’s Day weekend.
McCollum grew up in Forrest City, Ark., before going to Princeton University, where she graduated with a degree in English.
She won the 2013 Miss New Jersey title and competed in the 2014 Miss America pageant — a contest won by Miss New York Nina Davuluri.
McCollum, who played the piano for the talent segment, said during the pageant that she wanted to be an advocate for youth literacy and aspired to be a TV news reporter.
“She’s an instant magnet, very likeable with a big smile,” said Holtzman, who is on the board of the Miss New Jersey organization. “She’s had an amazing start to her life. Let’s hope it keeps going.”
With Post Wires