North Jersey Man Killed in Route 78 Crash Monday

A man from Budd Lake was killed after his car left the roadway and struck a Department of Transportation vehicle on Route 78 in Union Township, New Jersey State Police said.

Basim Orthman, 40, was driving in the left lane heading westbound near mile marker 51.5 in Union Township at 11:02 a.m. when his vehicle drove onto the median, striking the DOT truck, which then struck a disabled vehicle, Sgt. Jeffrey Flynn said.

The DOT employee on scene was William Smolder, of Hillsborough, who was assisting Sunil Dadlani, of Jersey City, with a flat tire repair, Flynn said. Both Smolder and Dadlani were taken to Morristown Medical Center with non life-threatening injuries.

Othman was entrapped in his vehicle, a 2013 Honda Accord, after hitting the DOT Ford F250 pickup truck. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:38 a.m.

It is not yet known why Othman’s vehicle left the roadway, and the cause of the incident is still under investigation.