4 dead in head-on crash
ANDOVER TWP. Newton father and two children were pronounced dead at the scene. A Blairstown man died of his injuries at the hospital.
Newton /
| 27 May 2023 | 07:15
Four people died as a result of a head-on collision Friday, May 26 on on Newton-Sparta Road, Andover Township police said in a Facebook post.
About 4 p.m., police responded to a reported accident on Newton-Sparta Road east of Limecrest Road near the Sparta Township line.
A 2021 Jeep Rubicon, operated by Bruce Cseh, 22, of Blairstown was traveling westbound on Newton-Sparta Road, crossed over the double yellow lines into the eastbound lane and struck a 2001 Ford Ranger pickup head-on.
The pickup was engulfed in flames with three occupants trapped inside. First-responders used fire extinguishers and attempted life-saving measures but flames were too intense.
Andrew Benavente, 36; Andrew Benavente Jr., 13; and Madelyn Benavente; 5, all of Newton, were pronounced dead at the scene.
Cseh also was trapped in the Jeep and first-responders were able to use a personal vehicle with a chain to pull the Jeep away from the pickup.
The Andover Township/Andover Boro Fire Department and Sparta Fire Department extinguished the fire and used the Jaws of Life to extricate Cseh. He was flown to Morristown Hospital and later was pronounced dead as a result of his injuries.
Newton-Sparta Road was detoured for about 5 1/2 hours during the investigation.
The crash remains under investigation by the Andover Township Police Department, which is being assisted by the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office and the Sheriff’s Department Crash Team.
Responding to the accident were the Andover Township Fire Department, Andover Boro Fire Department, Sparta Township Fire Department, Sparta Township EMS, Sparta Township Police Department, New Jersey State Police, Atlantic EMS, St Clare’s Paramedics, Newton EMS, Newton Police Department and Sussex County Fire Marshal.