The driver of a school van died in a multi-vehicle crash this morning that was possibly caused by fog.
A school van with a student on board collided with a tractor-trailer and black sedan at the intersection of Harding Road (U.S. Route 40) and Newkirk Station Road in Upper Pittsgrove, N.J. around 7:40 a.m. Friday, according to New Jersey State Police.
The driver of the CJ Bus Service van died. She was later identified as Deborah Thomas, 58, of Pittsgrove.
The student on board was taken to Cooper University Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, according to police.
Police said the van was headed to the Pineland Learning Center. The serves kids with "behavioral, social, emotional or academic challenges," according to its website.
The crash left the red school transport van and the front-end of the big rig visibly damaged. Some diesel fuel spilled onto the ground and hindered cleanup delays.
The cause of the crash remained under investigation but county prosecutors told NBC10.com that dense fog possibly caused the crash.
It wasn't clear where the school van was headed.
Route 40 was closed in both directions at Newkirk Station Road for hours. Monroeville Road could be used as an alternate, according to NBC10’s Jillian Mele.
Photo Credit: NBC10.com