Four teenagers killed in wrong-way crash on New Jersey Turnpike
Four teenagers were killed early Sunday in a wrong-way crash on the New Jersey Turnpike near Carneys Point Township, authorities said.
The victims were in a Mazda driven by 19-year-old Yaakov Kilberg when their vehicle was struck head-on by a Dodge pickup truck traveling northbound in the southbound lanes around 12:40 a.m. The collision occurred about 25 miles southwest of Philadelphia, according to local reports.
Passengers in the Mazda included 18-year-olds Aharon Lebovits, Shlomo Cohen, and Chaim Grossman. All four were pronounced dead at the scene.
The pickup truck, driven by 41-year-old Christopher Neff, sustained serious injuries and was transported to a hospital for treatment.
Emergency responders faced challenges during the recovery effort, with a simultaneous winching operation required for the second vehicle involved in the crash. The Carneys Point Fire Department confirmed the fatalities in a post on social media.
Kilberg, Lebovits, and Cohen were residents of Lakewood, N.J., while Grossman hailed from Fallsburg, N.Y. They were reportedly Yeshiva students enjoying a weekend break.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the crash, with no further information about the status of Neff or the specific causes of the incident released at this time.