A man was killed after being struck by a tractor-trailer while attempting to cross Route 9 northbound in Elizabeth on Wednesday night, authorities said.
Officers responded to reports of a crash involving a pedestrian in the local lanes of Spring Street/Route 9 northbound at about 9:30 p.m. When police arrived, they found an adult male dead in the roadway.
According to a spokesperson for the City of Elizabeth, a witness told investigators the pedestrian was attempting to cross the highway when he was struck by the tractor-trailer. The tractor-trailer involved in the crash remained stopped in the middle of the roadway.
The Elizabeth Police Department Traffic Division and the Union County Crash Investigation Team are conducting a joint investigation into the fatal crash, the spokesperson told News 12. The New Jersey Department of Transportation also responded and assisted with traffic control in the area. The local lanes of Spring Street/Route 9 northbound remained closed for several hours as investigators worked at the scene.
The identity of the victim has not been released pending notification of next of kin. Authorities have not said whether any charges are expected as the investigation remains active.
The stretch of Route 9 where the crash occurred is also the site of previous fatal crashes involving vehicles and pedestrians.
On Sept. 18, a pedestrian was killed while crossing Spring Street after being struck by a vehicle. In March 2024, a man died after being struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Spring Street and North Avenue. A few months later, a bicyclist was struck by a vehicle and killed while crossing Routes 1 and 9 near North Avenue.