A beloved retired high school coach and his wife were killed just after 6 p.m. Sat., Jan. 17, when their SUV left the road in the Mullica Hill section of town, struck a neighbor’s house and caught fire, authorities said. The victims were identified as Thomas A. “Tom” Hengel, 72, and Lisa M. Hengel, 61, both longtime residents of the Banff Drive neighborhood.
Police and fire officials said the crash jolted a quiet cul-de-sac and left the house uninhabitable, though the family inside escaped without injury. Early findings point to a tragic accident with no signs of criminal activity, investigators said. The case has drawn an outpouring from the Clearview Regional school community, where Tom Hengel coached cross country and track for decades and remained a mentor after retirement. Investigators are conducting a full reconstruction, including a download of the vehicle’s event data recorder, while township inspectors assess structural damage to the home and coordinate with the displaced residents.
Officers said the couple’s 2020 Hyundai SUV was traveling north on Banff Drive when, for an unknown reason, it suddenly accelerated, crossed a curb and cut across two lawns before crashing through the front wall of the neighboring home. Within minutes, flames climbed the façade as smoke rose over the block and firefighters advanced hose lines. Neighbors rushed outside as heat intensified. “The flames were up by the roof. They were up high,” neighbor Gary DeVine said, recalling the first moments before crews arrived. Responders reported the vehicle fully involved and the occupants of the home moving to safety from another room. Yellow tape sealed the street overnight for measurements and photographs as investigators mapped tire tracks and marked debris.
Authorities said both Thomas and Lisa Hengel were pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported. The front of the house sustained severe fire and structural damage; township officials posted it uninhabitable pending repairs. A formal reconstruction is underway, with tasks that include downloading the SUV’s electronic data, canvassing for doorbell camera video and reviewing maintenance records. Investigators have not determined whether a medical episode, mechanical failure or driver error contributed. Officials emphasized that foul play is not suspected. The Gloucester County Prosecutor’s Office is assisting the Harrison Township Police Department with standard procedures used in fatal crashes, including autopsies and toxicology.
Hengel, a Clearview Regional High School alumnus, taught for 33 years and coached for more than 40 seasons across cross country, track and other sports. He was inducted into the Gloucester County Sports Hall of Fame in 2018 and was named girls cross country coach of the year in 2022. Colleagues credited him with building a program noted for steady preparation and character. Lisa Hengel worked for decades as a landscape designer and was widely known in South Jersey for seasonal plantings and neighborhood projects. Friends and former students described the couple as generous and deeply rooted in the township, often walking the block at dusk and chatting with neighbors about gardens and school results.
Clearview Regional administrators lowered flags on campus and alerted families that counseling staff would be available for students and alumni. A memorial note from the district called Tom a “beloved retired teacher, long-time coach, and current volunteer coach” whose reach spanned generations. Former athletes posted tributes and photos from meets, recalling handwritten notes before big races and long training loops on rural roads. Shopkeepers in nearby Mullica Hill said customers traded stories about his teams through the weekend. By Monday morning, flowers and green-and-gold track ribbons appeared near the damaged home’s mailbox as restoration crews boarded the opening and carried out charred debris for disposal.
Fire officials said crews kept the blaze from causing a full collapse, but interior framing near the impact point will require extensive work. The family who lived in the home arranged temporary lodging, according to neighbors. Insurance representatives documented the scene as township inspectors returned to evaluate load-bearing walls and utilities. Police reopened the street to local traffic after the initial survey but periodically blocked access for additional measurements. Residents reported quieter nights as investigators finished diagramming the site and searched for fresh footage from corner cameras.
Investigators plan to release an initial crash summary after the reconstruction team completes measurements and retrieves data from the SUV. Any determination about contributing factors will follow lab reviews and medical findings. Officials said updates are expected later this week as evidence is processed and funeral arrangements are finalized. If electronic data or witness video indicates a mechanical issue, investigators could seek manufacturer input; otherwise, the case will close as an accidental fatal crash once the reports are complete.
On Banff Drive, a faint odor of smoke lingered while neighbors stood in small groups and talked softly. “He believed in us before we believed in ourselves,” a former Clearview runner said, describing a coach who checked on grades as closely as he tracked times. A clerk at a nearby shop said business slowed briefly after the fire but returned as the street reopened. A township official who visited the site Monday said the rapid spread of flames tracked with what crews see when a vehicle ignites inside a structure: fast heat, heavy smoke and difficult angles for hose streams through a breached front wall.
As of Tuesday, the Harrison Township Police Department described the case as an active crash investigation with no criminal elements identified. The home remains posted as uninhabitable, and the next milestone is the release of the reconstruction report and details on campus remembrances for the couple. Clearview leaders said they will share service information after the family sets arrangements.
Author note: Last updated January 20, 2026.