Underage Driver, 2 Others Die in New Jersey Crash

Authorities say a car driven by a 15-year-old boy collided with another vehicle on a central New Jersey highway, killing the teen and two people in the other vehicle.

Middlesex County authorities say the crash occurred around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday on Route 27 in Edison Township. All three victims were township residents.

The teen, whose name was not released, and 35-year-old Ali Behzad, a passenger in the other vehicle, were both pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the other car, 46-year-old Mohammed Zia, was taken to a hospital but died there a short time later.

The cause of the accident remains under investigation.

The minimum age for driving in New Jersey is 16.

Relatives of the two men killed told NJ.com that they were brothers-in-law going out for a late-night cup of coffee at a nearby convenience store.

``These were good men who went out for coffee and did not come back,'' said Adnan Zia, a family member.

Adnan Zia said Mohammed Zia ``was a very safe driver'' who once worked as a driving instructor but most recently was a delivery truck driver. Behzad worked as a graphic designer.

Both men leave behind three children, relatives said.

Officials said the teen killed in the crash was a student at J.P. Stevens High School in Edison.
 

Contact Us