Turnpike P.M. traffic jam after acid tanker overturns, kills driver

MILLTOWN — New Jersey Turnpike traffic delays continued late Tuesday afternoon hours after a fatal crash involving a truck carrying 45,000 pounds of sulphuric acid.

The tanker overturned onto both the inner and outer lanes about 3:50 a.m., south of Exit 9 for Route 18, creating delays that stretched nearly 10 miles to Exit 10, according to New Jersey Fast Traffic.

The driver of the tanker, Anthony Jackson, 60, of the Pedricktown section of Oldmans, was declared dead at the scene. A Jeep Cherokee ran into the tanker after it overturned. Its driver was hospitalized.

Two lanes in the inner roadway and one lane in the outer lanes remained closed at 3:45 p.m.

State Police spokesman Alejandro Goez said an empty tanker had to be brought in to offload the acid, which should take until at least 5 p.m. to complete. None of the acid leaked, according to Goez.

Guardrail repair still has to be completed between the inner and outer lanes, which is expected to last until 8 p.m, Goez said.

Drivers can leave the Turnpike at Exit 10 for Route 287 or Exit 9 for Route 18 and get to Route 1 southbound and then Route 130 to rejoin the Turnpike at Exit 8A in Jamesburg.

EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story should have said that the tanker was transporting 45,000 pounds of acid.

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

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