3 dead in Rt. 287 crash involving car, van, truck carrying cows

BERNARDS — State police are investigating a triple-fatal accident that left more than a dozen injured after an accident involving a car, a multi-passenger van and a pickup truck with a trailer carrying cows.

The accident occurred in the northbound lanes of Route 287 in Bernards Township at 10:32 p.m. Saturday.

Based on the preliminary investigation, detectives determined that Troy Chase, 43, of Pittston, Maine, was driving a 2003 Dodge Ram truck with passenger Peter Poland, northbound on Route 287 near milepost 29.1, Police said Chase stopped on the right shoulder in order to repair a cattle trailer that he was towing. .

Ravi Naik, 23, of Hillsborough, was driving a 2013 Hyundai Elantra when he struck the cattle trailer that was disabled in the right shoulder. After the collision, Naik parked on the right shoulder and exited his vehicle, state police said.

Xu Feng Ma was driving a 2003 Ford passenger van northbound on Route 287 with 12 passengers when he traveled onto the right shoulder, struck the guardrail, the cattle trailer and then the Dodge truck. The van continued northbound on the right shoulder and struck Naik before traveling across the northbound lanes and striking the left guardrail.

Police said Naik died at Morristown Medical Center at 11:35 p.m. Chase sustained minor injuries and was taken to Overlook Medical Center in Summit.

Police said two victims in the van, whose names were note released,  died at the scene.

As a result of the crash, passengers in the Ford van sustained non-life-threatening injuries. They included Xu Feng Ma, Hwa Chieng, 64, of Flushing, New York, Tao Qing Wu, 59, of Brooklyn and Duong Quoc, 54, of Brooklyn, all of whom were taken to Morristown Medical Center.

Yupu Ma, 52, of Woodhaven, New York, Erick Jiminez, 18, of Morristown, Engleton Jiminez, Yoxeng Tan, 55, of Brooklyn, Huijo He, 55, of New York, Gudiel Jiminez, 18, of Morristown, and Kui Tung, 47, of Brooklyn were taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital - Somerset in Somerville.

One person refused medical treatment at the scene.

Police said some cows died and others were transported from the scene.

Police said the incident remains under investigation, and there are no charges at this time.

Staff Writer Cheryl Makin: 732-565-7256; cmakin@mycentraljersey.com