A drive to lunch ends in tragedy after driver apparently lost control of his BMW.
By: Gwen Runkle
WEST WINDSOR One man was killed and two seriously injured when their car crashed head-on with another vehicle in Carnegie Center and burst into flames Friday, police said.
James O’Connor, 32, of South Brunswick was pronounced dead at the scene of the 12:35 p.m. accident after being trapped in the back seat of a BMW, driven by Radu Litiu, 32, of Plainsboro, police said.
William Swaney, 33, of Travis Court, West Windsor was sitting next to Mr. Litiu in the front passenger seat, police said.
Traffic Officer Mary Lou Dranchak said the three men were on their way to lunch when Mr. Litiu apparently lost control of his car on northbound Roszel Road near Alexander Road.
The car veered into the oncoming lanes and struck a minivan driven by Iuliana Kenny, 34, of Freehold Borough, Officer Dranchak said.
Mr. Litiu’s car then went up onto a grassy area and burst into flames, she said. Police and employees from nearby businesses tried to put the fire out with extinguishers but the Princeton Junction Fire Co. ultimately quenched the blaze, she said.
Mr. Swaney and Mr. Litiu were both taken to the Capital Health System at Fuld Campus in Trenton, she said.
On Monday, Mr. Swaney was listed in critical condition and Mr. Litiu, who was later transferred to St. Barnabas Medical Center’s burn unit in Livingston, was in serious condition, hospital officials said.
All three of the men work for Valaran Inc., a telecommunications software company in Carnegie Center.
Ms. Kenny suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was treated and released at the Capital Health System at Fuld Campus, Officer Dranchak said.
The accident is being investigated by Officer Dranchak and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.