MAN DIES AS JEEP HITS DISABLED TRUCK ON ROUTE 17

MICHAEL O. ALLEN | Wednesday, December 5, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | Four Star B | NEWS | Page B03

A 20-year-old Fair Lawn man died early Tuesday morning after he was pinned between two tow trucks on Route 17, officials said.

Raymond A. Schotanes was between the two vehicles preparing to have his disabled tow truck hauled away when it was struck by a Jeep Cherokee about 11:50 p.m. Monday, said Bergen County Prosecutor John J. Fahy.

Schotanes was pronounced dead at Hackensack Medical Center at 2:05 a.m. Tuesday, Fahy said.
The driver of the Cherokee, Scott Taub, 31, of Chestnut Ridge, N.Y., was listed in good condition at the medical center, a spokeswoman said.

Two other people were injured in the accident, which involved a fourth vehicle. William Prince, 48, of Jersey City was in fair condition at the medical center. David Kramer, 28, of Hackensack was treated and released.

Police were unable to say how the fourth vehicle became involved in the accident, or which vehicle Prince and Kramer were in.

Fahy said the Bergen County Fatal Accident Unit and the Hasbrouck Heights Police Department’s Traffic Bureau were investigating the cause of the accident, which occurred in the northbound lane of Route 17 across from the Holiday Inn.

INK-CARRYING TRAILER TIPS ON ROUTE 3

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Sunday, November 4, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | All Editions | NEWS | Page A04

A truck’s trailer, carrying flammable printing ink, overturned Saturday morning and caused a six-hour shutdown of Route 3 west in front of Giants Stadium, inconveniencing fans on their way to the Notre Dame-Navy football game.

No one was injured.

Richard P. Deckert, the driver, said he did not know what caused the accident. No summonses were issued, and an investigation was continuing, said East Rutherford Fire Department spokesman Lt. Peter Hodge.

“All I know is, I was going through the turn, and I looked in the mirror, and I saw the truck was lying on the ground,” said Deckert, 48, of Lebanon, Pa. “I didn’t even see it drop off.”

Along with a 55-gallon drum of ink, the truck carried five gallons of methyl ethyl ketone, a highly flammable solvent, and several empty cardboard boxes in its two trailers, said East Rutherford Fire Chief Tom Miller.

Although the ink drum was punctured when the 40-foot trailer flipped, the ink did not spill on the roadway, Hodge said.

Caption: PHOTO – STEVE AUCHARD / THE RECORD – Hazardous-materials workers and East Rutherford firefighters working with a trailer that overturned on Route 3 west on Saturday.