Villadom Times Weekly Newpaper Online-February 2, 2011 Issue

Franklin Lakes February 2, 2011 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • Page 7 Police investigate fatal accident at train tracks by Frank J. McMahon The Borough of Franklin Lakes experienced its second fatal traffic accident within a month at 8:26 p.m. on Jan. 24. Boroughs police responded to a report of a motor vehicle accident at the intersection of Pulis Avenue and the New York Susquehanna railroad tracks, near the intersection of Susquehanna Avenue. When the police arrived, they found that a 1994 Jeep Cherokee, which had been traveling south on Pulis Avenue and occupied by three persons, had collided with the locomotive of a freight train that was traveling westbound and had already passed the railroad crossing intersection. Detective Lieutenant Jack Bakelaar reported that the passengers were extricated from the demolished vehicle by the Franklin Lakes Fire Department. “The front passenger was pronounced dead at the scene, and the driver and remaining passenger were transported to Hackensack Medical Center by the Franklin Lakes Ambulance Corps,” Bakelaar advised. The deceased front seat passenger was identified as Marcus Ruta, 20, of Hawthorne. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Jeffrey Cohen, 19, and the rear passenger was identified as Joseph Belasco, 19, both of whom are also residents of Hawthorne. According to Bakelaar, his department’s preliminary investigation indicated that the vehicle struck the locomotive’s side near the stairway leading to the engineer’s cabin. He said the train was not backing up and switching as they sometimes do at that railroad crossing, but was traveling at a slow rate of speed through the crossing. He said the traffic safety warning equipment at the crossing was working properly, the red lights were flashing, and the alarm bells were ringing when the accident occurred. Bakelaar reported that a witness claimed the train’s horn was blowing at the time of the accident, and the traffic traveling north on the other side of the railroad crossing, had stopped in response to those warning signals and was waiting for the train to pass. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Unit assisted with the on-scene investigation, and the Bergen County Police Department along with fire departments from Waldwick, Oakland, and Wyckoff also assisted. The investigation is ongoing as to the cause of the accident. “Obviously we are all saddened by this and our sympathies and prayers go out to the families of those involved in (continued on page 17) MAYERS KARATE LITTLE DRAGONS A Whole Lot More Than Kicking and Punching 4 and 5 Year Olds  Self Confidence  Focus and Concentration  Self Discipline  Social Skills  Sportsmanship  Hand-Eye Coordination  Increased Self Esteem  Stranger Danger  Exercise  We Teach All Ages LITTLE DRAGONS  Especially designed for pre-school and kindergarten � �� � �� � �� � �� � �� Everyone Deserves a Great Massage Swedish • Hot Stone • Back, Neck & Shoulder  The program is focused on teaching life skills as well students BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU as improving hand-eye coordination, balance, concentration and flexibility � Free Spinal Screening First time customers only VALENTINE‛S SPECIAL 1 MONTH KARATE LESSONS Includes Uniform. Call to Register. Offer ends February 28, 2011 �� $ ($170 Value) One Hour Massage - $49 � �� 973-238-8600 • www.mayerskarateandfitness.com High Mountain Plaza Shopping Ctr (just 2 miles from The Market Basket) �� 5 Sicomac Road • North Haledon 260 Godwin Ave. • Suite 7 • Wyckoff, NJ • 201-485-7518 wyckoffchiropractor.com �� 99 Week Karate end for Spe Classes cial Youngs Needs 4 years ters Call for & up. details. 2-2-11 Pat/Janine WyckoffFamilyChiro2x2(2-2-11) 2 x 2” Rev1 Winter specials available now for a limited time only. Call Robin at 973-636-7000