Deadly Crash Reported In East Rutherford As Several Cars Slide Off Roads Across New Jersey
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A winter freeze caused major accidents across the area and disrupted schools Wednesday.
As CBS2's Meg Baker reported, it was a scary morning on the roads in New Jersey. One person was confirmed dead in a crash on Route 3 in East Rutherford.
A dangerous combination of freezing rain fell onto bitter cold ground, leading to a commuting disaster. A light glaze on the roads was all it took to slow things down.
"It was unbearable. It was very scary," said Joanne Rupp of Little Falls.
"It was really bad. I saw a couple of cars just spinning out next to me," added Oscar Trivino of Englewood.
The Lincoln Tunnel Helix was closed for a while, and cars slid off the Palisades Parkway into ditches.
"There's a 45 mph limit in effect on both the parkway and turnpike. This is something where folks have to continue to be very, very careful," Gov. Phil Murphy told WCBS 880 News Radio.
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CBS2 drone footage captured a ramp off Route 3, which was blocked by a pickup truck that was towing something behind it. It looked like the truck spun out and crashed with multiple cars.
Nearby, other drivers could not make it up a ramp that was too slick.
Another overpass on Route 3 was blocked by police, ambulances, a large UPS truck and multiple cars facing different directions.
Cones also blocked a white van that spun out on a ramp from Route 21 in Nutley. The driver said he was driving cautiously when he suddenly hit black ice.
"I was driving normally, and suddenly... the car just moved, like, 'wap, wap, wap... boom,'" said Thales Coster. "Split of second."
Route 4 in Teaneck was at a standstill. A school bus and other vehicles could be seen on the side of the road spinning their wheels.
In Monmouth County, the sheriff tweeted a warning about dangerous and deceiving black ice. A multiple-vehicle accident with injuries occurred near Eatontown and Tinton Falls from Route 18 to 36 East.
"You had to be on your toes," said Dustin Richard of Dutchess County, New York.
Multiple schools also had delayed openings, and some were closed in anticipation of the icy conditions.
In Paramus, parents were upset, saying the call was made too late after some students already arrived at school. Mayor Richard LaBarbiera said the decision was made by the school board, not the borough.
"They should have had a two-hour delay and avoided much of the confusion, angst, and unnecessary danger that children and parents and teachers having to travel under those conditions this morning," LaBarbiera said.
No injuries were reported in Paramus.
Stick with CBS2, CBSN New York and CBSNewYork.com for the latest forecast and weather alerts. CBS2's Meg Baker contributed to this report.
