Man, 26, Dies After 88-Year-Old Drives Wrong Way On Rt. 9

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — A 26-year-old man who was badly injured in a head-on collision when an 88-year-old man drove the wrong way on Rt. 9 last Sunday has now died as a result of his injuries.

The fiery crash happened at 9:39 a.m. Sunday, April 8 on Rt. 9 near Metuchen Avenue in Woodbridge. Thomas McHugh, 88, from Cranford was accidentally driving north on Rt. 9 south that morning, Woodbridge police said.

McHugh drove head-on into a southbound car driven by a 26-year-old man, police said. That man has now been identified as Victor E. Rodriguez, 26, pictured above.

The impact of the crash caused one of the cars to catch fire.

Both drivers were rushed to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital by medevac helicopter. The 88-year-old man, who was driving a Nissan Pathfinder, died one day after the crash.

Rodriguez, driving an Acura RSX, has now succumbed to his injuries as well.

Past Patch reporting: Cranford Man, 88, Dies In Wrong-Way Rt. 9 Crash In Woodbridge

"An 88-year old man driving on the wrong side of the road crashed into Victor as he was innocently heading home," wrote Rodriguez's friends on this Go Fund Me page they set up for him. "The crash resulted the car to set a flame, and Victor was stuck in his car burning alive for 20 minutes. Upon sending him to the hospital he had 60 percent 3rd degree burns all over his body. He was eventually determined to be brain dead after fighting for his life for 4 days. We are raising funds to alleviate the unexpected costly burden placed upon his family due to the fault of irresponsible and reckless man."

Photo of Victor Rodriguez via GoFundMe, a promotional partner of Patch