A 21-year-old Bergen County woman who stepped out of her SUV after a three-vehicle crash Thursday on the New Jersey Turnpike in Fort Lee was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer whose driver fled the scene, authorities said.
Jada Smith, of Teaneck, was pronounced dead at the scene of the hit-and-run crash, which occurred about 10:25 p.m. in the southbound express lanes of Interstate 95 near mile marker 121.5, according to New Jersey State Police. Smith stepped out of her SUV after it was disabled following an accident with two other vehicles in the right lane of I-95, state police said.
“The driver and her car were both struck by a tractor trailer that fled the scene,” said Trooper Jeff Flynn.
There were no other reported injuries and police early Thursday were looking for the driver of the truck.
“Detectives are still investigating who was driving the truck and other causes of the crashes,” Flynn said.
Flynn would not speculate if Wednesday night’s stormy weather contributed to the three-car crash or the hit-and-run, saying everything remains under investigation.