BY MICHAEL ACKER
Staff Writer
SAYREVILLE – A pedestrian crossing Route 9 died Tuesday night after being struck by a northbound vehicle.
The pedestrian, Andrew S. Gershowitz, 59, of Edison, was employed as a delivery truck driver for The Star-Ledger. He had parked his truck at Platinum Motors on the northbound side of Route 9 and took two bundles of newspapers with him across the highway, according to Detective Mathew Bandurski. He crossed the concrete divider and delivered the papers to the Exxon at Route 9 south and Kenneth Avenue.
Gershowitz was then hit as he was crossing Route 9 again to get back to the truck. The 2001 Honda that hit him was driven by Chao Hui Wu, 35, of Staten Island, Bandurski said.
The accident took place at 9:08 p.m.
Patrolman Jeffrey Kutz responded to the scene, and several traffic bureau officers are investigating in conjunction with the Middlesex County Fatal Accidents Unit.
The Morgan First Aid Squad transported Gershowitz to Raritan Bay Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, according to Bandurski. The Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office is conducting the autopsy.
Wu voluntarily submitted to a blood-alcohol test at Raritan Bay Medical Center, and the results will be evaluated by the New Jersey State Police. Borough police reported however that there were no signs that Wu was intoxicated.
Police said there were no witnesses to the accident other than Wu.
Anyone who may have witnessed the accident is asked to call Sgt. John Bartlinski of the Sayreville Traffic Safety Bureau at (732) 525-5431.
This is not the first time even in recent history that a pedestrian was killed on Route 9 in Sayreville. Bandurski noted that over a year ago, a truck driver was stuck and killed crossing the highway after he parked on the northbound side, got out of his truck and jumped over the divider to get to the Hess gas station by Bourbon Street.