Rutgers administrator, teen in stolen car die in head-on crash in Princeton, NJ

PRINCETON — A Rutgers University administrator was killed Sunday afternoon when a teenager in a stolen Jeep rammed into her vehicle head-on, police said.

The 15-year-old also died in the crash while a teen passenger was seriously injured.

The tragedy began to unfold when Princeton police were called about 12:40 p.m. by a Clover Lane resident reporting that three people were trying to steal his vehicle from his driveway.

Police gave chase to teens in a stolen black Jeep Cherokee heading west on Clover Lane. Behind the Jeep was a Range Rover, which police later learned had been reported stolen from a home on Dodds Lane. The Jeep was stolen out of Pequannock.

The officer who responded to the call followed the Range Rover as the Jeep took off in an unknown direction.

The Range Rover picked up speed and police ended the potentially dangerous pursuit on Snowden Drive. The Range Rover continued and was later found abandoned in Newark.

The Jeep, meanwhile, ended up crashing head-on with a 2016 Acura RDX about 1:10 p.m. on Route 27 (Princeton-Kingston Road) near Carnegie Drive. Police said the Jeep crossed over the double yellow line and struck Jodi Marcou's vehicle.

Pictures from the scene show both vehicles went off the road with one standing nearly straight up.

Marcou and the teen were pronounced dead at the scene while a 14-year-old passenger in the Jeep was taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Princeton and is in critical condition.

Route 27 was closed for several hours during the cleanup and investigation of the crash.

Princeton police asked any witnesses to the crash to call 609-921-2100 ext. 1879.

Marcou had worked at Rutgers University as a development specialist in New Brunswick since 2018.

"Jodi was a true asset to the school adding great value to the school’s development operation. Jodi was highly regarded by colleagues, donors, and alumni," Rutgers spokesman John Cramer said in a written statement.

"Dean Jonathan Potter expressed his deepest condolences to her family and friends upon hearing of the loss of Jodi saying that words are insufficient to express our deep sorrow for the loss of our colleague."

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ