A beloved 26-year-old tow truck driver was struck and killed while responding to a Hunterdon County crash scene Tuesday afternoon, authorities confirmed.
Gary Vondrasek, 86, was driving a 2014 Cadillac Escalade westbound in the left lane of Route 22 near the Phillips 66 Gas Station in Readington when he drifted into the median and hit a disabled vehicle and tow truck driver, identified as Seth Newton, just after 3 p.m., Readington Township Police said.
Newton, of Readington, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Vondrasek, of Lebanon, was treated at the scene before being taken to RWJ University Hospital Somerset, where he was pronounced dead, police said.
The eastbound side’s left lane had been closed to traffic as Newton, an employee with Superior Towing & Transport, LLC, responded to help remove the disabled vehicle from the median, authorities said.
Condolences immediately began pouring in for Newton from friends, family members, and even local rescue crews:
“Seth, you were a joy to work with from the 1st we worked together,” writes Walter P Dorf Jr.
“You always worked well with all of us first responders and always there when we needed assistance. My family’s thoughts [and] prayers are with your family and Mike and his Superior Towing family.”
The crash remained under investigation by the Readington Township Police Department and the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office Forensic Analysis Collision Team.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Cpl. Wester with the Readington Township Police Department or the Hunterdon County Prosecutor’s Office.
Click here to sign up for Daily Voice’s free daily emails and news alerts.
