Andrew Martins, Managing Editor
An accident that shut down lanes in both directions of Interstate 78 on Monday claimed the life of a Hillsborough woman and left her husband recovering from serious injuries at an area hospital.
According to Lt. Theodore Schafer, of the New Jersey State Police, the accident occurred just before 3 p.m. when a 2006 Ford F-250 traveling east along the interstate near Pohatcong Township suffered a tire failure and overturned off the left side of the Exit 3 ramp.
Officials said the truck was hauling a 2002 travel trailer at the time of the accident.
Michelle Ferrante, 51, was declared dead at the scene by emergency personnel after she suffered fatal injuries when she was ejected from the truck. Her husband, Anthony Ferrante, 50, was driving at the time of the accident and sustained serious injuries as a result. He was taken to St. Luke’s University Hospital in Fountain Hill via helicopter.
No other vehicles were involved and no other individuals were injured in the accident, police said.
According to officials, the accident caused minor traffic congestion on both sides of the interstate, as emergency personnel needed to accommodate the helicopter’s landing and takeoff.
Schafer said the cause of the accident is still under investigation.
