Highways were closed, tens of thousands of commuters found themselves stranded for more than 8 hours in their cars in the Newark region and police responded to about 1000 car crashes statewide after a nasty nor'easter snowstorm dumped over six inches of snow on Thursday even that ended with icy roads and frigid temperatures.
According to police, just before 4 p.m., snow followed by rain and sleet fell, resulting in icing and numerous collisions, causing a massive backlog traffic jam affecting most areas including downtown Newark with no salt trucks or plows in sight on city or county roads.
A typical 20-minute commute from Newark's City Hall to the Walmart in Kearny took one commuter six and a half hours.
Major highways were shut down including routes 280, 78, 21 and 22 and millions of cars packed these roadways and stranding commuters who ran out of gas and blocked already packed streets that entered Newark.
Police in Newark responded to an incident where a family called police at around 9 p.m. after their seven-year-old child did not return from school after they dropped him off at 7 a.m.
Authorities put out a be on the lookout for the boy, and within minutes, school officials from the North Star Charter School on Washington and Court streets confirmed that the boy was safe inside the school and because of the gridlock traffic in the area, his caretaker was not able to retrieve the boy.
Newark police continue to discourage drivers from traveling through any streets that are flooded, have high water or are believed to be submerged.
Most Essex County county towns experienced multiple car crashes, burdensome traffic delays and gridlocks.
Newark Public School has announced a delays opening for staff and students and will begin at 10 am Friday.