UPDATED: NJSP Investigating Double Fatal Accident on Turnpike involving Police Officer

njsp tls 2An investigation is underway this morning after two pedestrians were killed on the NJ Turnpike, NJSP said.

The accident occurred at northbound milepost 115 in Secaucus.

A Washington Township (Bergen County) officer in a police vehicle was involved, NJSP said. he was treated for minor injuries.

UPDATE 12 PM:

The New Jersey State Police Fatal Accident Unit, Crime Scene Investigation Unit, and personnel from Newark Station, are investigating a crash involving a Washington Township, Bergen County, police car that struck two pedestrians on the New Jersey Turnpike earlier today at approximately 1:06 a.m.

The preliminary investigation revealed that Jason Champion, 41, of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Nuwnah Laroche, 34, of East Elmhurst, were traveling in a 2001 Cadillac Escalade when it became disabled on the southbound side of the roadway. Sometime later, both individuals were pedestrians in left, northbound lane in the area of milepost 115, when they were struck by a Washington Township Police car driven by 46-year-old Officer Arsenio Pecora.

According to the Washington Township Police Department, Officer Pecora was returning from training at Fort Dix at the time of the accident. The victims were pronounced deceased on scene at 4:33 a.m. via telemetry. The cause and circumstances of the crash are currently under investigation.

[TLS]

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