Teen Killed By Township Garbage Truck While Riding Dirt Bike
Saturday, January 18, 2025, 7:00 A.M. ET. 2 Minute Read, By Art Fletcher: Englebrook Independent News,
LOWER TOWNSHIP, NJ.- Investigators are continuing their investigation into Tuesday’s fatal collision in the Villas section of Lower Township, New Jersey, that tragically claimed the life of a 17-year-old boy.
According to Cape May County Prosecutor Jeffrey H. Sutherland, on Tuesday, January 14, 2025, shortly after 11:30 a.m., members of the Lower Township Police Department responded to a 911 Emergency Call reporting a crash between a Lower Township Municipal garbage truck and a dirt bike on Bayshore Road near the intersection of Atlantic Avenue in the Villas section of the Township.
Upon arrival, Police Officers learned that a Lower Township Municipal garbage truck was traveling northbound on Bayshore Road. The truck began to make a right-hand turn onto East Atlantic Avenue when it collided with a dirt bike being operated by a 17-year-old male. The teen was traveling southbound on the northbound shoulder of the roadway. The teen subsequently succumbed to the injuries in the collision and was pronounced deceased.
During the initial investigation, the truck driver told Police Officers that while attempting to make the turn, he noticed the dirt bike approaching at a high rate of speed and tried to stop the truck. Despite his efforts, the dirt bike crashed head-on into the truck, coming to a stop in front of the truck.
During the ensuing investigation, investigators corroborated from witness interviews the truck driver’s account that he was traveling around 5 miles per hour and came to a complete stop at the time of impact of the dirt bike.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with additional information is urged to contact the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office at (609) 465-1135 or CMCPO.TIPS.
