Woman electrocuted by downed wires was 26-year-old from Plainfield

PLAINFIELD — A 26-year-old woman killed in Plainfield during Monday's thunderstorms when a live power line fell on her car has been identified as Susan C. Potok of Plainfield, Police Chief Richard Triago said.

Triago said Potok's was one of several vehicles that pulled over along Midway Avenue after trees fell into the road. A tree that fell on a side street brought down wires onto her car.

Potok was electrocuted and killed when she got out of the car.

"Stay in the car. Absolutely stay in your car in your car and wait for help to arrive. If the wires are touching your car your car can be live. All the electricity is looking for is a path to ground. If you step out of the car and touch the car and the ground at the same time you become the ground," JCP&L spokesman Chris Eck said.

Eck said that you can safely use your cell phone and roll down down the window "but stay in the car."

If the car is on fire "jump clear of the car. You don't want to touch the ground and the car at the same time."

Triago said No one else was injured in the incident. Potok was the only person in the car.