Distracted tractor-trailer driver sideswipes police car, destroys traffic sign on N.J. highway
By: -----
Middlesex County, NJ - A distracted tractor-trailer driver struck a police patrol car early Saturday morning in Middlesex County, though the officer inside escaped injury, authorities said.
The crash occurred about 2:40 a.m. while the South Brunswick officer was parked on the shoulder of Route 1 in a construction area, said Deputy Police Chief Jim Ryan.
Authorities said the driver hit more than 50 traffic cones and an arrow signboard before sideswiping the police car, which had its emergency lights activated.
South Brunswick police released dash-camera video of the split-second wreck, which came as the officer was working a traffic detail near the Plainsboro border. It shows the big rig clipping the officer’s vehicle, while strewing a pile of debris across the road.
The video serves as a reminder of the dangers of distracted driving, which claimed the lives of more than 3,200 people nationwide in 2023, Ryan said.
The Plainsboro Police Department, which is investigating the crash, did not immediately return a request for comment regarding whether the driver is facing charges.