SECAUCUS – A resident of Union City was driving a Jeep Liberty on Secaucus Road at approximately 9:55 p.m. on Tuesday evening when her car struck an 18-wheel tanker truck. The driver of the Jeep had to be extricated by rescue personnel. A passenger from Newark was not seriously injured.
Both individuals were transported to Jersey City Medical Center. The driver of the tanker truck was uninjured, although shaken up by the incident.
According to a report from Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari, “Sheriff’s Investigators have determined that the 2011 Jeep Liberty was traveling east on Secaucus Road and crossed over the double yellow lines into the west bound lane – putting it directly head on to the tanker truck. [The truck driver] tried to brake and swerve, but could not avoid the Jeep on the narrow roadway. The collision sent the Jeep Liberty into a parked vehicle nearby. One of the front wheels of the tanker was dislodged and traveled about 100 feet down the road, striking and damaging another parked car.”
The report continued, “While crash investigators were examining the scene, they noticed several suspected heroin bags and other drug paraphernalia on the driver’s side floor of the Jeep. Both the driver and passenger were arrested and charged with possession of CDS. The driver was also issued a motor vehicle summons for possession of narcotics in a motor vehicle. They were released from the medical center and taken into Sheriff’s Office custody.”
The tanker truck was empty at the time of the crash. The Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, North Bergen Police, North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue, the Jersey City Fire Department, North Bergen EMS, and paramedics from JCMC all responded to the scene of the accident near 812 Secaucus Road. The matter is still under investigation.