WZBN CH25:

The WZBN News Story Windows Media Player and a Cable/DSL Connection Recommended 11.3 MB

 

Trenton Times:

Deadly tragedy on Route 29

 

 

Friday, April 30, 2004

By BRIAN X. McCRONE, Trenton Times, http://www.nj.com

Staff Writer

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP - A Washington Township fire captain was struck by a dump truck on Route 29 and killed yesterday morning while changing a flat tire on his way fishing.

Dennis Williams, 39, of Hamilton Square died instantly about 7:45 a.m. when he stepped into the path of a 28-ton dump truck near Valley Road, police said.

Known for his ability to fight fires and a love for his two sons and wife, Williams also took every opportunity to throw a line in the water. He was on his way to catch some striped bass yesterday when a tire blew out on Route 29 north, police said.

His spare tire rolled into the road and Williams followed to retrieve it, said township Police Capt. George Meyer.

"He pulled off to the side of the road, fully off the road. Somehow, the (spare) tire rolled into the northbound lane and Williams went after it," Meyer said. "Right as he did that, there was a big 12-wheel dump truck heading north. The truck driver swerved but was unable to avoid hitting (Williams)."

Route 29 was closed in both directions for about three hours while township and county detectives investigated the incident, police said.

While his young sons, Morgan and Dylan, took turns wearing Williams' fireman's helmet yesterday and family gathered at the home on Hartman Drive in Hamilton, his wife, Lisa, said her husband had set out early on his day off.

"He wanted to see the sunrise and then go fishing for stripers in the Delaware," she said. "His buddy had told him about catching a 25-pound striper there recently."

The flag was at half-staff and firefighters, both paid and volunteer, gathered yesterday at the Washington Township fire station on Route 130 where Williams spent seven years of his working life.

"He definitely loved his job," said Washington Fire Chief Kevin Brink, "and was an extremely hard worker. It's a tragedy and our hearts go out to his family and kids."-- -- --

The Williamses moved from Washington to Hamilton about five years ago, his wife said. He became a paid firefighter seven years ago and was promoted to lieutenant in 2000 before eventually attaining the rank of captain.

"Dennis and (Chief) Kevin (Brink) were the third and fourth firefighters hired in Washington," Lisa Williams said. "He became a fireman because he loved to help people."

Williams graduated from Mount Saint Mary College with a degree in history, then decided to start his own painting company, Dennis Paints, his wife said.

Lisa Williams, who works for the Stark and Stark law firm in Lawrence, said he dedicated much of his free time to his sons, who are in grade school at Princeton Academy of Sacred Heart.

Fellow Washington Fire Capt. Dennis Symons said Williams always talked about his two young boys at work.

"Everything was about his boys," Symons said. "He used to ask me to come in an hour early so he could take his son to hockey practice at 6 a.m."

Williams was the perfect family man and firefighter, Symons said, but his third passion was fishing.

"He fished up and down the East Coast," Symons said. "He spent a lot of his off-time fishing. He loved the Jersey Shore."

Williams was headed north on Route 29 yesterday before the tragic turn of events. He pulled to the side of the highway near the Mercer County Correction Center after getting a flat tire, then called AAA for help, Meyer said.

A tow truck from Hawk's Towing & Recovery in Trenton was sent to help Williams, Meyer said.

The fatal crash occurred while the tow truck worker, who was unidentified, was removing the lug nuts from the flat tire and Williams was taking the spare from the rear of his truck, Meyer said.

"It rolled into the road and he went after it," Meyer said.

-- -- --

Meyer said the truck was hauling 25 tons of sand from a quarry in Gibbsboro to a concrete plant in New Hope, Pa.

The truck driver, David Decant, 32, of Barrington was not speeding when his truck struck Williams, police said.

Trucks over 26,000 pounds are banned from using Route 29 north of Interstate 95, Meyer said, unless they are delivering or picking up materials to businesses within 2 miles of the highway.

"The concrete plant in New Hope is within 2 miles," he said.

Everything appeared to be legal, Meyer said, and no charges were issued to the driver yesterday. But the investigation is continuing, he said.

Brian Hawkins, owner of Hawk's Towing & Recovery, said this was the first time a fatality ever occurred while one of his tow truck drivers was assisting a motorist.

"I've been in business for 15 years and this is the first time (someone has ever been killed) in front of one of my drivers or myself," Hawkins said. "It's just terrible."

His driver, Hawkins said, is still too shaken up to talk about the incident with anyone.

Funeral arrangements for Williams had not been made yesterday.

 

The Trentonian:

TRYMAINE D. LEE , Staff Writer

http://www.trentonian.com

Washington Township firefighter Dennis Williams rose before sunrise yesterday to fish for striper in the Delaware River. He had no idea it would be his last.   Williams, 39, was struck and killed while changing a tire along Route 29 in Hopewell Township. "‘I’m going to watch the sunrise,’" his wife, Lisa Williams, remembered him saying. "I told him to have a good day, and that I’d talk to him later." Williams, who lived in Hamilton Square, drove to his fishing spot somewhere near the Mercer County Correctional Facility on Route 29. Sometime before 7:45 a.m. Williams noticed he had a flat tire and pulled onto the shoulder to call AAA, Hopewell Township police said. An employee from Hawk’s Towing in Trenton arrived shortly and began to remove the flat. As he did, Williams stepped to the rear of his car to remove the spare from his trunk. The tire slipped from his hands and began to roll into the highway, police said. As Williams chased the runaway tire into the roadway, a large dump truck headed north on Route 29 approached. Witnesses told police the truck driver tried to swerve to avoid impact, but it was too late. Williams was struck and killed instantly, officials said yesterday. The accident forced police to close Route 29 for nearly three hours yesterday. "I’m just trying to be strong for our children," Lisa Williams said from her Hartman Drive home yesterday. "It’s just so hard to think right now." A full-time fireman for Washington Township, Williams was remembered yesterday by family, friends, neighbors and fellow firefighters as a selfless man dedicated to helping others and fighting fires. For three years, Williams worked as a volunteer fireman. Rising through the ranks, Williams became a full-time firefighter seven years ago, then a captain in 2002. "He was willing to do it all," Washington Township Fire Chief Kevin Brink said. "He lived for this place." Flags hung at half-mast at the township fire station yesterday. Black flags were draped across the station’s brick facade. "Deepest Sympathies to The Williams Family," a sign near the road said. Family members said Williams was a major component in building the Washington Township Fire Department from its meager beginnings to today’s staff of 25 full-timers and 10 volunteers. Acquaintances said he lived for his family and trying to save lives. "It was just his caring and compassion," said Brink. But there was nothing that could save Williams yesterday morning. "Pretty devastating," said neighbor David Jenkins. "It could have happened to anybody." Williams leaves behind a wife of 11 years and two boys, ages 7 and 9. The couple met by chance 11 years ago, and it was love at first sight, Lisa Williams said. "He loved fishing and being a firefighter," she said. "He just loved to help people." The truck that struck and killed Williams was carrying 25 tons of sand to the New Hope Concrete plant from Gibbsboro, Camden County, police said. The driver of the truck that struck Williams was David E. Decant, 32, of Barrington. Decant worked for MJF Materials LLC located in Berlin, Camden County. Along with the Hopewell Township police, the Hopewell Valley Emergency Service, the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, the State Police and New Jersey Department of Transportation all responded to the accident. No charges had been filed.

 

 

 

 

Messenger Press:

 

 

Washington firefighter killed on Route 29 in Hopewell Township

By: Lauren Burgoon , Staff Writer, Messenger Press: http://www.messengerpress.com 04/29/2004

Fire Department remembers Dennis Williams as 'hard-working, dedicated'.    WASHINGTON — The Washington Township Fire Department is in mourning after one of its long-time firefighters was killed Thursday morning.    The flag at the fire station on Route 130 was lowered to half-staff and the station was draped in black for Capt. Dennis L. Williams, 39, of Hamilton Square. The career firefighter was killed after a truck hit him at 7:45 a.m. on Route 29 in Hopewell Township.    Hopewell Police Capt. George Meyer said Mr. Williams had pulled over on the shoulder of Route 29 near Pleasant Valley Road because his Ford Bronco had a flat tire. A tow truck from Trenton-based Hawks Towing arrived after Mr. Williams called AAA. While a towing worker removed the flat tire, Mr. Williams removed a spare tire from the back of his Bronco.    "Apparently what happened is that he dropped the spare and it rolled into the road," Capt. Meyer said. "He went into the road to retrieve it, was hit by a truck immediately and killed instantly."    Capt. Meyer said that there was not enough time for the truck driver, David Decant, 32, of Barrytown, to avoid hitting Mr. Williams.    On Thursday afternoon Mr. Williams fellow firefighters reacted with disbelief at the sudden passing of a man they said was dedicated to his work and family.    "This is just unbelievable," former fire chief Al Walker said. "He was an all-around guy. He never stepped back from whatever you asked him to do."    Mr. Walker was with the fire department when Mr. Williams joined as a rookie volunteer. Seven years ago Mr. Williams went on to a paid position there and rose to a captain's position in January 2000. He also sat on the company's Board of Directors for several years. In 2002 he was named Washington Township's firefighter of the year.    "There is not a job he wouldn't tackle," Mr. Walker said.    Mr. Williams organized the company's Vial of Life program, aimed at providing first aid squads with readily available medication information in an emergency. In 2001 Mr. Williams, along with three fellow firefighters, was recognized by members of the New Jersey Assembly for aiding a Washington Township stabbing victim.    "I have known Dennis for seven years," Chief Kevin Brink said Thursday. "He was a hard-working, dedicated employee and he lived for the work. Besides his family this place was his life."    Mr. Williams leaves behind a wife and two young boys. No burial arrangements had been made as of Thursday afternoon.     Reporter John Tredrea of the Hopewell Valley News, a Packet publication, contributed to this story.

 

Ch. 6 Action News:

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/

Fire Captain Dies Following Rt. 29 Accident

Chopper 6 flew over an accident in Mercer County today that claimed the life of a Washington Township fire captain.

It happened while 39-year-old Dennis Williams was changing a flat tire on his sport utility along route 29 in Hopewell township.

Police say the spare tire got away from Williams and rolled into the street.

He ran after it...and that's when he was struck by a dump truck.

The driver tried to swerve, but couldn't avoid hitting him.

Route 29 was shutdown for two hours while police investigated.

Copyright Action News, 2004.
 

 

Return to Events/Press

Return to Main Page