New Jersey State police are likely still handing out fresh pairs of underwear after a tow truck hauling a disabled box truck slammed into first responder vehicles in a crash on I-80 last month.
In case you missed it:
- Dead: The Sixth-Gen Camaro, Which Ends Production in 2024
- 10 Sports Cars That Stole Their Headlights and Taillights From Other Cars
- Your Ultimate Fun/Reliable Two-Car Dream Garage
Police released the footage of the catastrophic crash this week. Two lanes on the three-lane stretch of freeway were closed on February 23 for a crash investigation when the heavy-duty tow truck driver managed to slam through barricades, barrel down the road, and crash into three cop cars and an ambulance. New Jersey Department of Transportation posted the video along with a reminder to drivers to slow down and move over for first responders:
One officer can be seen in the video trying desperately to get the semi truck driver’s attention before jumping out of the way at the very last second. NBC Philadelphia spoke to officer Stephen Lentini who managed to barely escape the crash.
“It was just a matter of seconds where I realized he wasn’t stopping,” Lentini told NBC 10. More body-cam video posted by the news organization shows a fellow officer running towards the crash and calling out officer Lentini’s name. Thankfully, no one was hurt in the crash, which totaled three police cruisers and damaged an ambulance.
The crash is still under investigation, however the tow truck driver was issued a summons to court for a charge of careless driving. Even if moving over for first-responder vehicles isn’t the law in your state, it should always be your first priority. First responders face a great deal of danger on the road, especially when road conditions contribute to a crash. On the same day Lentini was diving out of the way of a tow truck, an officer in Wyoming barely escaped with his life on a snowy freeway while trying to help the victims of a previous crash.