Police: Man tried to go around fatal crash investigation, nearly hitting cop

A North Brunswick man was arrested by South Brunswick Police for going around a cruiser blocking off lanes on Route 1 and nearly hitting an officer during the cleanup and investigation of an accident on New Years Day.

Shawn Morrison, 27, continued  southbound past the closure point at Henderson Road, according to South Brunswick Police, nearly striking Sgt. Mike Rogers as he stood in the closed lanes. Rogers followed Morrison in his patrol car and pulled him over. Morrison was charged with DUI, failure to submit to a breathalyzer test, two counts of failure to obey an officer and possession of marijuana. He was released pending a court appearance.

A 13-year-old girl involved in the accident on Route 1 northbound at Deans Lane died from her injuries on Saturday according to Peter Haigney, Director of public relations at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital.

In their preliminary investigation, South Brunswick police reported that a Nissan Sentra carrying five occupants from Ocean County was crossing over Route 1 toward Deans Lane when it was broadsided by a Nissan Quest minivan carrying a husband-and-wife from North Brunswick and a third adult passenger. There are some signs that the driver of the Sentra may have been distracted by a cellphone and run a red light, the report said.

There are no indications that alcohol was involved in the incident, which was reported at 5:13 a.m. No one involved in the incident has been identified by police and no charges have been announced.