Truck kills man on Route 80 after running from traffic stop, cops say

MONTVILLE — A man killed in a Thursday morning crash on Route 80 had been running from a police stop before he stepped into the path of a tractor trailer, according to the state Attorney General's Office.

Kevin Brian Cruz, 25, of Black Rock, New York, was pulled over on the westbound side near Exit 48 about 2:20 a.m. by a Montville police officer who asked him to exit the car, state investigators said. He instead ran onto the highway and was hit by a tractor trailer whose driver immediately stopped, officials said. Cruz was pronounced dead at the scene.

State officials said Cruz was traveling with a female passenger.

Traffic got by in the left lane during a seven-hour investigation, creating a 15-mile delay back to Paterson.

The state Attorney General's Office took over the investigation because a state law enacted this year requires the office to investigate deadly incidents involving on-duty law enforcement officers.

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

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