Crossing guard dies after being struck by vehicle near Burlington City High School in New Jersey, police say

A crossing guard in the Burlington City School District has died after he was struck by a vehicle Friday morning near Burlington City High School, Burlington police said.

In an update Friday night, police identified the crossing guard as 74-year-old Bruce Morlack of Burlington City. Investigators said Morlack heroically took action by preventing the two students he was helping cross the road from being injured when he was struck by a 2015 Chrysler 200. 

The crash happened around 7:20 a.m., Burlington police said in a news release.

Images from Chopper 3 showed police cars and an ambulance along Jacksonville Road near James Street, just east of Route 130, near the high school's athletic fields. The road was blocked at its intersection with Route 130 on Friday morning.

Authorities said the driver of the Chrysler stayed at the scene and cooperated with the police. Any potential charges against the driver have yet to be announced as of Saturday afternoon. 

The 74-year-old crossing guard was taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton where he succumbed to his injuries.

Claudia Maxie and her daughter Malayah said they've known the crossing guard for years. He was Malayah Maxie's crossing guard when she was in school.

"We give him Christmas cards. We talk to him all the time. He plays his harmonica on the corner," Claudia Maxie, a neighbor, said Friday afternoon. "He waves at everybody. He picks up all the trash. He keeps the area clean. He's a very exceptional person and we love him and we just pray that he's going to be OK."  

Investigators believe the crossing guard was in the marked crosswalk in the road at the time of the crash, Burlington police said in a news release.

"I always felt safe knowing that he was watching her [Malayah] as she was crossing the street," Claudia Maxie said. "So he definitely was a safety net."  

She said her family has lived in the area for almost 20 years and they've seen too many accidents occur at that corner. She added that the crossing guard took his job very seriously.

Malayah Maxie described the crossing guard as "an amazing person."

"Every time I'd walk home from school, I'd just wave to him and he'd be like 'Have a good day! I hope your day is incredible,'" she said.

Burlington police extended their condolences in a news release.

"The City of Burlington expresses its condolences to the family and loved ones of the victim during this difficult time," police wrote on Facebook Friday evening.

"It's tragic. It was terrible." Neighbors describe loss of heroic crossing guard.

Morlack's neighbors are devastated by his passing and describe him as a nice man and a friendly face they frequently saw walking in the neighborhood.

"We used to see him walking up and down the street. He would have his harmonica. Give us a wave," said neighbor Dean Durbin.

Durbin said what happened is tragic, but could've been even worse if Morlack didn't step in to protect the kids he was crossing.

"Two of them were my son's friends' schoolmates. I coached one of them. So that was even scary cause to think, man it could've been them also," Durbin said. "He's definitely a hero."

On Saturday, the city of Burlington honored Morlack's life during the holiday parade. Community members gathered in the 200 block of High Street for a moment of silence to remember the crossing guard's heart and bravery. 

The Burlington City Police Department said in a Facebook post, "We will always honor the memory of Bruce, who gave his life to protect the children, a true hero whose bravery and unwavering dedication made a lasting impact on our community."

In:
• New Jersey
• Pedestrian Killed
• Burlington County
• Pedestrian Struck
• South Jersey