2 Fatal Crashes, 3 Hurt On I-287

Two people have been killed in separate fatal crashes on the same New Jersey highway this weekend, police said.

The first crash happened at 8:17 a.m. on Saturday at mile-marker 52 on I-287 involving two vehicles, a 1967 MG and a Nissan Sentra. The Nissan struck the MG in the rear on the southbound side in Pequannock, causing both to run off the runway, police said.

Read more here: Classic Car Driver Killed In Morris County Crash

The MG overturned and the Nissan hit several trees. The driver of the MG was pronounces dead of the scene. A passenger in the MG and the driver of the Nissan were transported to Morristown Medical Center for treatment of their injuries.

Joseph Bevilacqua, 66, New Milford was identified as the fatal victim. The cause is under investigation, and two left lanes were closed for four and a half hours following the crash.

About an hour later, one person was killed and another injured on I-287 northbound in Bridgewater on Saturday, police said. The accident happened at 9:55 a.m. at mile-marker 15.3 when a Nissan Versa hit the center median.

The car went off the road and struck several trees, police said. Oscar Soza-Hernandez, 26, of New York City was identified as the fatal victim.

A passenger in the Nissan was pronounced dead while the driver was listed in stable condition at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital on Saturday afternoon, police said. The victim was transported by helicopter.

The left lane was closed for three hours.

The accident is under investigation. We'll have more as information comes in.

Patch file photo