(08/14/06) TEANECK ? Four people were killed and four other critically injured in a six-car pileup on the New Jersey Turnpike in Teaneck Monday afternoon.

Police say a tractor-trailer carrying bricks was unable to stop as it approached slowing traffic on the northbound express lanes. According to police, the truck hit one automobile, a Nissan Altima, and pushed the car underneath another truck. It then turned over, spilling its contents on the road.

Forty-one-year-old Theresa Christmas, 40-year-old Charles Christmas and 2-year-old Victoria Christmas were all killed in the accident. The family was from Astoria, N.Y. Police say they were riding in the Altima that was rear-ended. Another passenger in the Altima, 4-year-old Theresa Christmas, survived and is being treated at University Hospital in Newark.

Investigators say another individual, 37-year-old Norma Ryan of Voorhees, was killed when her Toyota 4Runner was struck by the tractor-trailer as it turned over. Three other passengers in that car, 12-year-old Peter Ryan, 6-month-old Samantha Ryan and 64-year-old Maria Rosado were taken to Hackensack University Hospital with internal injuries.

Charges are pending against the driver of the truck, 46-year-old Dimitrios S. Tseperkas of Port Jefferson, N.Y. The truck is registered to DTF Logistics of Port Jefferson, N.Y. After hours of traffic backups as a result of lane closures, the northbound express lanes reopened around 8 p.m.