Driver Pinned Between Cars Dies After Route 1 Crash In South Brunswick

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — A Chester, Pennsylvania, man was killed early Sunday in a three-vehicle crash on Route 1, Middlesex County Prosecutor Linda Estremera and South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka said.

The South Brunswick Police Department received a report of a crash on Route 1 North at Ridge Road around 2:04 a.m. on Sunday, according to the prosecutor's office.

A 2025 Toyota Camry driven by a 31-year-old woman from Jersey City was struck in the rear by a 2012 Lexus SUV driven by a 53-year-old man from Chester, Pennsylvania, officials said. The driver and passenger of the Camry got out of their vehicle to assess the damage and speak with the driver of the Lexus SUV.

While they were outside the vehicle, a 2016 Lexus sedan driven by a 45-year-old man from Trenton struck the rear of the Lexus SUV, pinning its driver between the two vehicles, authorities said.

The driver of the Lexus SUV was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in critical condition and later died of his injuries, officials said. The driver of the Lexus sedan was taken to a hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the Camry sustained minor injuries and was also taken to a hospital for treatment. The passenger in the Camry was not injured.

In a statement, Hayducka addressed a statewide increase in traffic fatalities in 2026.

"Crashes are always a top area of concern. Statewide there has been an increase in fatal crashes to start 2026. There is no one singular reason for these crashes. Enforcement, education, and awareness are some of the key efforts being made to address the issue statewide and in our community," Hayducka said. "Motorists can help reduce these fatal crashes by avoiding distracted driving, wearing seat belts, and eliminating driving while impaired."

The investigation is active and continuing, authorities said. Anyone with information is asked to call Officer James Kraivec of the South Brunswick Police Department at 732-329-4000 or Detective James Alleva of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office at 732-745-4011.

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