4 Teens Killed, 4 Injured In Garden State Parkway Single-Vehicle Crash
EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBS) - Authorities in Atlantic County are investigating a single-vehicle accident along the Garden State Parkway that killed four teenagers and left another four injured Saturday morning, according to police.
The accident happened near exit 38A in Egg Harbor Township a little before noon. The 2002 Ford Explorer, which was carrying eight occupants, was headed southbound on the Garden State Parkway when police said the driver lost control.
A preliminary investigation led officers to believe the driver was trying to avoid traffic when it spun out of control, causing the vehicle to flip over several times. The 17-year-old male driver from Northfield, New Jersey and another 16-year-old male from Northfield were among those killed.
According to investigators, when the vehicle overturned, a 16-year-old male from Somers Point, New Jersey was ejected from the vehicle and went airborne, striking a passing 2009 Pontiac G6. He was later pronounced deceased at Atlantic Care Regional Medical Center. The two occupants of the Pontiac were not injured.
A 15-year-old male from Linwood, New Jersey was also ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene. The deceased victims have been identified by police as Nick Conner, Casey Brenner, Dean Khoury, and Ed Bozzi.
The remaining four passengers, Jacob Smith, 17, of Linwood; Kyle Beattie, 16, Northfield; Alex Denafo, 16, Northfield; Kenneth Randall, 15, Linwood, suffered non-life threatening injuries.
Counselors will be available, beginning at 5 p.m. Sunday evening, for students at Mainland Regional High School in Linwood, New Jersey.
A candlelight service is also scheduled for this evening on the high school's football field.
A Facebook page set up hours after the Saturday morning crash already has 17,000 fans.
The New Jersey State Police is looking into this accident.
