Busy travel week off to deadly start on N.J. roadways

Four people were killed and another woman was left in critical condition within less than 24 hours through early Saturday in separate traffic-related incidents on roadways around New Jersey.

The deadly toll came days before Thanksgiving, one of the busiest travel weeks of the year. No charges were announced in any of the cases and authorities said investigations were continuing.

Janina Grzelczak, 69, of Brooklyn, died after she was struck by a 2008 Ford Explorer traveling east on Washington Road in Sayreville around 6:15 p.m. Friday, according to the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office.

Grzelczak was trying to cross the road in the middle of a block and not at a crosswalk when she was hit, the prosecutor's office said.

Also on Friday evening, an 80-year-old woman was hit by a vehicle as she walked across New Hampshire Avenue in Toms River, according to township police. The woman remained hospitalized in critical condition as of Saturday.

At least three people died in crashes within hours early Saturday.

In Monmouth County, Mina Salib, 46, died after the BMW he was a passenger in veered off Route 18 in Colts Neck and struck a tree near the Normandy Road Bridge authorities said. The East Brunswick resident was pronounced dead at the scene.

The BMW driver was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, which was investigating along with local police.

Old Bridge Police Sgt. Bryan Doel confirmed one person died in another single-vehicle wreck on Route 18, near James Avenue, in the Middlesex County township around 1:30 a.m. Police have not yet released more information on that crash.

A driver was ejected from a vehicle and died at the scene of a one-car crash in Paterson around 4:45 a.m., according to Passaic County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Michael DeMarco. City police were investigating and did not immediately release details.

Sayreville police took to Facebook to urge drivers to take precautions after what the department said was "a long night of accidents."

Police reported three rollover crashes overnight, but none with serious injuries.

"These next seven days are some of the busiest of the year for us. Unfortunately, we started today off with several serious accidents," Sayreville police said in a social media post, which included a photo of a vehicle on its side from one overnight crash scene.

"Please, please, please slow down, be aware, be awake and of course don't drink and drive," the post added.

Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said city police would be cracking down on drunk driving during the holiday season, part of a state grant-funded effort.

"Just last evening a police sergeant was injured after his vehicle was struck by a drunk driver," Ambrose said.

"We will continue to arrest people who think they are going to drink and drive in the City of Newark - especially during the holiday season, when celebrating individuals may attempt to drive drunk."

Karen Yi, Taylor Tiamoyo Harris and Allison Pries contributed to this report.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc and on Facebook.

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