Summer 2019 Saw Unusually High Number Of South Brunswick Crashes

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — South Brunswick police revealed this week that the summer of 2019 has seen an unusually high number of serious motor vehicle crashes in the Township.

In each case a specialized unit from the department was called to investigate the causes and contributing factors that led to the crash. The unit, called the South Brunswick Police Traffic Safety Bureau, is made up of five officers trained in advanced crash reconstruction, as well as two supervisors. The unit spent numerous hours meticulously reconstructing the accidents by mapping each scene and piecing together the events leading up to the crash.

They tracked down available video, interviewed numerous witnesses, and worked with specialized teams from the New Jersey State Police and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.

Here are the findings for the summer 2019 serious crashes:

On June 24 at 10:22 p.m. a 21-year-old South Brunswick man was riding his motorcycle on Ridge Road near Marc Drive when he lost control and crashed. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation determined that no other vehicles were involved in the crash and driver error from unsafe speed was a contributing factor.

On June 25 at 8:45 a.m. a 60-year-old Edison man was headed southbound on Route 130 near Route 522 when he crossed over the grass median into oncoming Route 130 northbound traffic and struck a vehicle. The investigation revealed the man suffered a medical episode prior to the crash.

On July 17 at 1:06 p.m., a 79-year-old Monroe Township woman was killed when the vehicle in which she was passenger was involved in a crash at Route 130 and Distribution Way. The investigation determined that a 68-year-old South Brunswick resident caused the crash when she failed to observe a traffic signal.

On July 19 at 2:15 p.m., a 58-year-old Trenton man was critically injured when his vehicle struck a cement mixer truck from behind on Route 1 near Raymond Road. The man’s vehicle hit with such force that it became lodged under the rear of the cement truck. The investigation determined driver inattention as the cause of the crash. The Trenton man was cited for being an unlicensed driver and careless driving.

On July 31 at 10:29 a.m., an 84-year-old South Brunswick man was seriously injured when his vehicle was involved in a crash with a 52-year-old East Brunswick woman at the intersection of Route 522 and Bard Drive North. Investigators believed the man suffered a medical condition and failed to negotiate a turn through the intersection resulting in the crash.

On August 8 at 8:50 p.m., a 25-year-old South Brunswick man riding his motorcycle was struck and killed at the intersection of Route 535 and Davidson Mill Road. A 57-year-old Jamesburg man has been arrested and charged in connection to the case. The Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office has the case.

August 14 at 4:20 a.m., a 55-year-old Morrisville, PA man was seriously injured when he crashed his dump truck into a house on Shelly Road. The residents of the home were uninjured but the home was left uninhabitable. The investigation remains active and no final determination on a cause has been made.

“Any time there is a life-threatening crash our team of specialists work to find the causes," said South Brunswick Police Chief Raymond Hayducka. "It is time consuming and requires a special kind of investigator. They know the importance of the work they do will give family and friends some answers. Traffic safety is one of our top priorities and these seven crashes represent an unusual number. There is not one single contributing factor in all these crashes. We remain committed to increasing awareness, education and enforcement to improve driver safety.”