1 dead, 3 hurt when car goes off New Jersey Turnpike

LINDEN, N.J. (AP) -- A man is dead and three other people injured after the car they were riding in ran off the New Jersey Turnpike and landed in the parking lot of a nearby business.

Authorities say 22-year-old Jonathan Donan lost control of his car Wednesday morning in a southbound lane of the highway near milemarker 97.5 in Linden. He ran off the road, continued across a grass embankment, struck a utility pole and a fence before hitting four parked cars.

A passenger, 18-year-old Jose Cruz, was thrown from the vehicle. He was airlifted to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. A 19-year-old passenger was also thrown from the car. He remains in critical condition and a 14-year-old in stable condition.

The driver was treated and released. The crash remains under investigation.

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