Police say accident occurred at 7:50 a.m. on a rainy Saturday, about a half-mile south of Route 31’s intersection with Delaware Avenue.
By John Tredrea
Elizabeth Compton, 68, of Crestview Drive, Hopewell Township, died Saturday morning from injuries suffered in a two-vehicle crash on Route 31.
Ms. Compton was a 44-year resident of Hopewell Township. The mother of eight children, she was retired from her 14-year position as senior clerk with the North Princeton Developmental Center in Skillman.
Capt. George Meyer of the township police said Monday the accident occurred at 7:50 a.m. Saturday, about a half-mile south of Route 31’s intersection with Delaware Avenue.
Neil Grossman, 41, of Lake Hiawatha was driving north on Route 31 when his car glanced off the edge of plowed snow in the shoulder. The impact caused Mr. Grossman’s car to spin out of control into the southbound lane.
A southbound pickup truck driven by Mrs. Compton’s husband, Russell Compton, 70, struck the passenger side of Mr. Grossman’s car.
Mrs. Compton was pronounced dead at Capital Health System at Fuld at about 10 a.m. Saturday. Her husband and Mr. Grossman also were taken to Capital System at Fuld for treatment of injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
Capt. Meyer said rain was falling when the accident occurred, but the road was not flooded.
No charges have been filed. The accident is being investigated by township Officer Kevin Zorn and Detective Ken Scott, of the Fatal Accidents Unit of the Mercer County prosecutor’s office.
The exact cause of Ms. Compton’s death is unknown. An autopsy is expected to be performed by the county medical examiner’s office.
Responding to the accident scene along with township police were the Pennington First Aid Squad, Hopewell Emergency Medical Unit and Mercer County paramedics.

