Plumes of smoke rise from northbound side of the New Jersey Turnpike western spur where a tanker truck overturned and caught fire on the shoulder
Plumes of smoke rise from northbound side of the New Jersey Turnpike western spur where a tanker truck overturned and caught fire on the shoulder (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
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The New Jersey Turnpike driver whose mattress fell off his van, leading to giant, fiery and fatal tractor trailer crash has been issued a summons.

New Jersey State Police Sgt. Gregory Williams told New Jersey 101.5 that Adam Abuhamoud, 26, of Linden has been issued a summons for the Oct. 7 accident based upon a Turnpike regulation that requires vehicles using the highway to have their loads properly secured on the top or on the side.

Williams did not say whether Abuhamoud may face any more severe charges in the fatal crash, or any charges directly related to the tractor trailer driver's death. He referred those questions to the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, which has not yet returned a call for comment.

Two mattress fell off the van and into the left lane of the western spur the Turnpike, near milepost 109.5 in Kearny, authorities have said. That caused Kumar Dalip, 40, of North Hollywood, Calif., to veer his tanker truck hauling a load of 8,500 gallons of gasoline across three northbound lanes. The tanker rolled down an embankment and burst into intense flames,killing Dalip. State Police said.

Michigan trucker Kevin Hauer, who took a Dashcam video of the accident, told New Jersey 101.5 that the tanker truck driver "saved many other lives" by his actions.

Abuhamoud has a court date in November but State Police could not confirm an exact date.

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