Basic Facts
Crash date: March 9, 2026
Crash location: New Jersey Turnpike near Grover Cleveland Service Area in Woodbridge, NJ
People involved:
- Maximo Polanco, 34
- Unidentified International driver
- Unidentified Freightliner driver
Do authorities suspect alcohol played a role in this crash? Unknown
Did authorities recommend criminal charges? Unknown
Do authorities suspect a product defect caused the crash? Unknown
Accident Report
Woodbridge, NJ — March 9, 2026, Maximo Polanco was killed in a truck accident at about 9:55 a.m. on the New Jersey Turnpike/Interstate 95.
Authorities said a dump truck was heading north near the Grover Cleveland Service Area when it hit an International semi-truck that was parked on the right shoulder. The impact caused both trucks to catch fire, while the semi-truck was knocked into a Freightliner semi-truck parked in front of it.
Dump truck driver Maximo Polanco, 34, of Ridgefield died from injuries suffered in the crash near mile marker 92.6, according to authorities.
The semi-truck drivers were hospitalized with minor injuries, authorities said.
Authorities have not released any additional information about the Bergen County crash at this time.
How Did This Accident Occur?
It’s easy to read about this crash and assume the dump truck driver messed up. But what if the International semi-truck was not fully off the road? Or the dump truck had an issue with its brakes or steering mechanism?
I’m not suggesting these scenarios in a vacuum; I’ve seen them happen over the course of my career, so I’ve learned to wait until all of the facts are known before reaching any conclusions about how a crash happened.
A thorough investigation of this crash should provide sufficient evidence to prove how the collision occurred by poring over evidence at the scene, evidence from the vehicles involved and any available footage from traffic or dashcams.
Do you know anything that could aid in this investigation? Let us know in the comments.
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