Somerset Man Dies In Cardiac Arrest After Snowmobile Crash: Cops

Jonathan L. Black didn't look his age, his friends say. And he sure didn't act like it.

They were surprised when they found out the New Jersey man was only 23. He was part of "Network Newark," a group of professionals and business owners focused primarily on real estate and financial services.

They met every Monday afternoon in Newark. "Everybody was surprised to learn that Jon was only 23. He carried himself like a man 10 to 15 years older," said Jay Kingley, CEO of Centricity

But Monday came, and Black wasn't there. That's because the real shock came this past weekend: Black died in a snowmobile accident, police said.

"He was a giver, always looking to help others," Kingley said. "Everybody who met Jon liked him within seconds. I never saw him without a smile."

Black, a Somerset native, was initially hurt after he failed to negotiate a curve near a bridge in New York on Friday, accoding to police. Emergency personnel thought he only had minor injuries.

Then he went into cardiac arrest while he was being examined and couldn't be resuscitated, police said.

The accident happened at 11:28 p.m. on Friday when Webb, NY police were dispatched and investigated a snowmobile accident on Trail 5 near a steel deck bridge, police said.

Black had been traveling southbound on Trail 5 when he was ejected from his 2017 Polaris snowmobile and went down a steep embankment, police said.

Initially, Black was assisted up the embankment and transported via ambulance to be treated, police said.

Soon afrer, he went into cardiac arrest, police said. He was pronounced dead by the Herkimer County crooner.

On Monday, Kingley and others paid tribute to Black for being "an avid learner" who was ambitious, mature and sought more senior members of Network Newark as mentors.

"We believe to build trust, you must understand one's expertise, personality, and values. Jon had all three in abundance," Kingley said.

"We mourn his loss but celebrate the time he had with us and the impact he made on us, even though it was far too brief."

Here are more tributes to Black:

This is a developing story. Patch will have more information as it comes in.

Photo courtesy of Jay Kingley - CEO Centricity