By: Richard L. Smith
A tragic early morning crash in Newark's North Ward has left one person dead and two others injured.
The Essex County Prosecutor's Office is leading the investigation into this devastating incident, which occurred around 12:55 a.m. near 677 Lake Street at Branch Brook Park.
The preliminary investigation indicated that an off-duty Newark Police officer was the first to notice a severely damaged vehicle that had crashed into a tree near the park.
According to reports, the officer promptly alerted the Essex County Sheriff's Department, where a swift response from a host of emergency responders followed.
Upon arriving at the scene, rescuers found multiple individuals trapped inside the wrecked car.
Tragically, one person was pronounced dead at the scene.
University Hospital Rescue team and Newark Firefighters worked tirelessly to extricate the remaining two victims, who sustained various injuries.
Both injured individuals were subsequently rushed to University Hospital for treatment.
To facilitate the ongoing investigation, police closed Lake Street from Elwood Street to Delevan.
As of now, the cause of the crash remains undetermined.
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