Lambertville Firefighter Killed In Crash Had Served 40 Years

When Lambertville firefighters responded to a crash Monday, they initially had no idea one of their own was involved. Mark Leary Sr., a 40-year veteran of the Lambertville Fire Department (Rescue 17) and a U.S. Marine, died from his injuries after colliding head-on with a dump truck on Rt. 29 shortly before 1 p.m. March 26. He was 58.

Now the community Leary, a lifelong Lambertville resident, spent more than four decades serving is coming together to support his family by creating a memorial fund to help with expenses.

"Mark will always be remembered as a dedicated husband, loving father, and an outstanding community servant who always put others before himself," reads a post on the GoFundMe page set up by the Delaware River Towns Chamber of Commerce to offer support through its Delaware River Towns Charities.

Donations can be made through the GoFundMe page by clicking here or via check (mailing information below). The fundraiser has a goal of $5,000. As of Wednesday afternoon at 3 p.m., $5,210 had been raised.

Leary's sons, Mark Jr. and Collin, are also members of the local fire department. In a post on social media this week, Collin said his father loved serving the community and recalled responding to a recent fire on Franklin Street. "I was on the handline and looked behind me and my dad was right there along with a few other people fighting the fire with me," Collin wrote. He also shared photographs from that day.

According to Hopewell Township police, the crash involved a dump truck and a Ford Crown Victoria. After the vehicles collided, they both hit a utility pole and caught fire. Leary was a passenger in the Crown Victoria; both people in the car were killed in the accident. The other victim has been identified as Arthur Reed, 42, also of Lambertville.

The truck driver, 59-year-old James Bilton of Edgewater Park, wasn't seriously injured, police said. Bilton was driving north on Route 29 and the Crown Victoria was traveling south. The vehicles collided in the southbound lane.

Bilton has been issued motor vehicle summonses for failure to maintain lane and careless driving.

Donations to the Leary family can be made by check to: Delaware River Towns Charities memo: c/o Leary Family Memorial Fund, DRTCC&VB, 77 Bridge Street, Lambertville, NJ 08530

Image via GoFundMe, used with permission