Off-Duty New Jersey State Trooper Killed In Turnpike Crash In Ridgefield
RIDGEFIELD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- An off-duty New Jersey State trooper was killed in an early morning crash on the New Jersey Turnpike, authorities said Friday.
It happened around 1:45 a.m. on the southbound western spur near exit 16W in Ridgefield.
Off-Duty New Jersey State Trooper Killed In Turnpike Crash In Ridgefield
Trooper Glenny Almonte was off duty and in his personal car headed south when he somehow lost control and struck a curb and guardrail by the Vince Lombardi service area, police said.
The impact then pushed him into the path of a southbound tractor-trailer, which hit the driver's side of Almonte's car, police said.
Rescue crews extricated the trooper from the car and he was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
"The loss of Trooper Glenny Almonte saddens the entire State Police family. We are offering support to Trooper Almonte's loved ones as well as to all of our employees touched by this tragedy," New Jersey State Police Superintendent Col. Rick Fuentes said in a statement.
Almonte was a member of the 152nd State Police Class that graduated the academy on Oct. 4, 2013. He was assigned to Totowa Station where he served as a general duty trooper, WCBS 880's Peter Haskell reported.
All lanes on the southbound western spur were shut down for hours as police investigated. Lanes were reopened around 8 a.m.
