1 dead in fiery crash at toll plaza on Atlantic City Expressway
HAMMONTON, N.J. (WPVI) -- One person is dead after a fiery crash at a toll plaza on the Atlantic City Expressway.
The driver has been identified as 39-year-old Joseph Crawford of Egg Harbor City.
It happened at 10:30 a.m. Friday at the westbound Egg Harbor Toll Plaza in Hammonton.
State police tell Action News a Hyandai Sedan driven by Crawford hit the toll plaza and caught fire, trapping him inside.
"It takes troopers a few minutes to respond, we're only a few miles away," said Trooper Ruslan Allakahverdov. "By the time we got here the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames."
Crews had to cut his body out of the charred wreckage, police said.
Video from Action News viewer Jason Galloway, recorded from the eastbound lanes, shows extensive flames engulfing the vehicle after it crashed.
The blaze spread from the vehicle to parts of the toll plaza before crews were able to douse the flames.
Images from Chopper 6 HD showed damage to two of the four toll booths serving westbound traffic.
"At booth 10 and 11 there was one person in each operating those. Both were able to escape safely. They heard the crash," said Allakahverdov. "One of them actually saw the crash. They're currently being interviewed back at the station."
were each occupied by one person, but both were able to escape safely. No toll plaza employees were hurt.
Police say they received a phone call shortly before the accident reporting the vehicle was operating erratically on the Atlantic City Expressway.
So far, they have not been able to rule that drugs or alcohol were involved.
Traffic was largely unaffected as the Express EZ pass lanes were opened to all traffic as crews worked to clear the scene.
The investigation is ongoing.
