DUI charge in fiery crash that snarled post-A.C. concert traffic

A motorist has been charged with drunken driving in a crash that left five people hurt and tied up traffic as thousands of people were leaving an Atlantic City beach concert.

Absecon police said 27-year-old Corey Thacker, of Little Egg Harbor Township, is charged with driving while intoxicated, refusing to take a breath test, reckless driving, and disregarding a traffic signal in the Sunday evening crash.

Thacker ran a red light as he was driving east on Absecon Boulevard near the Home Depot in his Dodge Caravan, police said.

He struck a Nissan Altima that was trying to turn onto Absecon Boulevard. That impact forced the Caravan into the westbound lanes of the boulevard, where it hit a stopped Ford Explorer head-on, police said.

The Caravan then burst into flames.

Five people were hurt, police said. Their conditions weren't available.

The accident happened as scores of concert-goers were leaving the Maroon 5 beach concert in Atlantic City.

Drivers encountered delays as Absecon Boulevard was closed in both directions for about an hour and a half due to the crash.