Hopatcong Teen Dies After 2-Car Crash in Morris County, Cops Say

A Hopatcong teen died as a result of his injuries from a two-car crash on Rt. 46 in Mt. Olive Thursday night, which injured two other motorists, authorities announced.

Police responded to the intersection of Rt. 46 and Old Wolfe Road at 8:39 p.m. Thursday for a report of a motor vehicle crash, Mt. Olive Cpl. Eric Anthony said.

An investigation revealed Rebecca Falconer, 17, of Hopatcong, was driving with passenger Gregory Pellinger, 17, also of Hopatcong, when she attempted to make a left turn from Rt. 46 onto Old Wolfe Road, Anthony said.

In doing so, Falconer’s 2002 Dodge Neon was struck by a 2009 Mercury Mariner traveling eastbound on Rt. 46, Anthony said. The Mariner, driven by William Staszewski, 28, of Budd Lake, was unable to avoid hitting the other car, Anthony said.

Pellinger sustained significant injuries as a result of the crash and was transported to Hackettstown Regional Medical Center, where he died shortly thereafter, Anthony said.

Falconer was taken to St. Clare’s Hospital and Staszewski to Hackettstown Regional Medical Center for evaluation of their injuries. Both were released a short time later, Anthony said.

The investigation is ongoing, but drugs and alcohol do not seem to have played a role in the crash, and no charges have yet been filed, Anthony said.

“On behalf of the police department, we offer our sincerest condolences to Gregory’s family and friends,” Mt. Olive Police Chief Mark Spitzer said. “The intersection of Route 46 and Old Wolfe Rd has been the sight of several other injurious crashes and another fatal traffic accident in the not too distant past. It is an intersection we will continue to seek to make better through engineering with our partners at the New Jersey State Department of Transportation.”

Pellinger was a senior at Hopatcong High School where grief counseling was made available Friday, according to nj.com.

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