WASHINGTON TWP. -- A 24-year-old North Brunswick man was killed in a crash involving a tractor-trailer on Route 130 early yesterday morning, Washington Township police said yesterday.

Christopher Pellicane of Miriam Drive was driving his 2005 Volvo on Route 130 at 2:33 a.m. when he apparently rear-ended a 2003 freight tractor with a loaded trailer, driven by Terry Johnson, 38, of Murfreesboro, Tenn., near the Windsor Road intersection.

Both vehicles were traveling north on the highway.

Authorities said the 24-year-old was speeding when he collided into the back of the tractor-trailer.

The tractor-trailer, which is owned by National Freight Inc., was traveling at about 35 to 40 mph when the accident occurred, police said.

"For some unknown reason, he hit the back of the truck," said Lt. Dominic Botteri. "We’re looking into the circumstances surrounding the accident."

Johnson did not see Pellicane’s vehicle, but told authorities that he immediately felt the impact, said Sgt. Michael Polaski.

When township fire and rescue crews arrived at the accident scene, Pellicane was unconscious and unresponsive, authorities said. He was pronounced dead at 4:15 a.m. by the Mercer County Medical Examiner.

Johnson was not injured, police said.

The Volvo and the tractor-trailer were towed to Mackey’s Towing on Route 130 for inspection, Polaski said.

Pellicane, a young entrepreneur, was the former co-owner of a Cranbury shop called "Custom Detailing," and an employee at Precision Automotive in Dayton. His family declined to comment yesterday.

"It’s obviously a tragedy and we don’t like hearing about anything like that happening at all ... I’m concerned if we have any fatalities in the township, certainly somebody that’s young," said Larry Schneider, vice president of the Washington Township Council. "It’s an unfortunate, horrible situation.

"If there is something that we need to address, we certainly should be addressing it, but I would obviously like to see what the police come up with first."

Schneider said the township recently revamped part of the highway’s shoulder.

The last fatal accident on Route 130 was on March 18, when a 37-year-old Hightstown man attempted to cross the highway and collided with another car.

Police said Michael Pietrucha of Outcalt Street was either stopped or in the process of stopping at a stop sign on Voelbel Road when he crossed Route 130 and failed to yield to a car driven by Keith Bernstein, 24, of Philadelphia, Pa.

Bernstein swerved, authorities said, but could not get out of the way of Pietrucha’s vehicle.

The impact sent both cars more than 100 feet down Route 130 before coming to rest in the center median.

Pietrucha was pronounced dead at the scene and Bernstein was treated for minor injuries, police said. No charges were filed.

Yesterday’s fatal accident is under investigation by the Washington Township police and the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office.