One dead after crash in West Windsor
One person died and another person was injured after a drunk driver hit a vehicle on Quakerbridge Road in West Windsor on Sunday afternoon, police said.
Just after 1 p.m., a West Windsor resident was driving his 2013 Mercedes Benz 350 in the left lane of Quakerbridge Road near the mall traffic signal. He struck a stopped vehicle in the center lane. The vehicle, a 2016 Hyundai Sonata, then struck a 2003 Yamaha XV1 motorcycle that was stopped in front of it, police said.
The West Windsor man driving the Mercedes, Ram R. Thatigutla, 50, then tried to flee the scene on foot, heading southbound on Quakerbridge Road, police said. He went several hundred feet south of the collision site, where he collapsed on the concrete median and was secured by Good Samaritans, police said. He was transported to Capital Health System at Fuld.
The motorcycle driver was pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Police have not released the name of the victim, a 56-year-old Parlin resident, yet. The Hyundai driver, a 48-year-old Lawrence resident, was transported to Capital Health System at Fuld Trauma Center with a head injury.
Police said Thatigutla was driving while intoxicated. He was charged with death by auto, assault by auto, and leaving the scene of a fatal collision. He had an open container of alcohol in the car at the time of the crash, police said. Thatigutla is in police custody pending a future court appearance at the Mercer County Superior Court.
An ongoing investigation is being led by the West Windsor Police Department traffic bureau and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office. Anyone with information about the incident should call (609) 799-1222.
Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.