Child is auto accident victim

Emre Edepli of New York City died at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia

By John Tredrea, Staff Writer
   A 4½-year-old New York City boy died Friday from head and upper body injuries sustained in a two-car accident in Hopewell Township the previous afternoon.
   The boy, Emre Edepli, of West 126th St., New York City, was riding in a car driven by his mother, Kirsten Edepli, 38, when the accident occurred on Pennington-Rocky Hill Road. Ms. Edepli and Emre’s 5-month-old brother, Kerem, who was also a passenger in the car, were not injured.
   As of Wednesday, no charges had been filed. “The investigation is not expected to be completed for several more days,” Hopewell Township police Chief George Meyer said. On Friday, the chief said, there was no “evidence of alcohol, drugs or excessive speed.”
   The accident occurred at 5:40 p.m. Sept. 13, when Ms. Edepli’s 2000 Subaru Forester wagon swerved into the path of a dump truck in the oncoming lane, the chief reported.
   The driver of the small Ford “mason” dump truck, Arthur Smith, 42, of Diverty Road in Hopewell Township, was unable to avoid Ms Edepli’s car, police said.
   ”Ms. Edepli had her two sons in the back seat of her vehicle,” Chief Meyer said. “Both children were strapped into appropriate child seats.”
   Chief Meyer said that, according to a witness, Ms. Edepli’s vehicle partially left the road to the right side and struck a guardrail. “The vehicle then went to the left, across the eastbound lane, and into the westbound lane,” the chief said. “Mr. Smith took evasive action, moving to the right, but the vehicles collided. Mr. Edepli’s vehicle then went off the roadway, Mr. Smith’s vehicle spun around in the roadway.”
   Emre, who was in a safety seat on the driver’s side behind his mother, sustained serious injuries to his head and upper body. He was transported to the Trauma Center at Capital Health System’s Fuld Campus by the Hopewell Emergency Medical Unit and paramedics from Capital Health. Emre was subsequently taken to Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia, where he died.
   Ms. Edepli and Kerem Edepli were uninjured, but were transported to the Fuld Campus to be checked out.
   Mr. Smith was shaken up and was transported by the Pennington First Aid Squad to the University Medical Center at Princeton.
   The Hopewell Fire Department also responded to assist the medical personnel handle a fuel leak from the truck, and light the scene while the police investigation was conducted.
   Police said Ms. Edepli was in the area visiting friends and was on her way back to New York City.
   Pennington-Rocky Hill Road was closed for approximately three hours. Traffic was detoured around the accident scene.
   The Mercer County prosecutor’s office Accident Investigation Unit also responded and is assisting with the investigation.
   Investigating officers are Patrolman Louis Vastola and Detective Kevin Zorn of the township police and Detective David Santoro of the Mercer County prosecutor’s office.