Three tractor-trailers collide in center lane
By Charles W. Kim, Managing Editor
CRANBURY — A fiery crash involving three tractor trailers on the New Jersey Turnpike Tuesday night left one of the drivers dead, State Police Trooper Alina Spies said.
The accident took place at 9:07 p.m. in the northbound center lane of the outer roadway at mile marker 69.3 by exit 8 in Cranbury, when a Kenilworth truck driven by Renaud Planee, 53, of St. George’s, Quebec, slowed for traffic.
A Peterbuilt truck driven by Juan Cortez-Robollo, 45, of Vineland, was apparently not aware of the slowing traffic and struck the Kenilworth from behind, Trooper Spies said.
A third Freightliner tractor-trailer, driven by Timothy Bowen, 37, of Clayton, Delaware, then struck the Kenilworh truck from behind before jackknifing and veering onto the left shoulder, Trooper Spies said.
The Frieghtliner then struck the left guardrail and burst into flames, spreading to the other two trucks.
Mr. Bowen was pronounced dead at the scene, she said.
The two other drivers were transported to the University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro for non-life threatening injuries, Trooper Spies said.
New Jersey State Police and the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office are investigating the accident, which closed the outer roadway until Wednesday morning.
Trooper Spies said no tickets or citations have been issued at this time.