$20,000 reward offered in Jefferson death

The family of a Jefferson man believed to have been killed last month by a hit-and-run driver is offering a $20,000 reward to information leading to an arrest and prosecution.

Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp and Chief William Craig of the Jefferson Township Police Department mentioned the reward in a statement issued Thursday seeking information from the public concerning the fatal incident that occurred on Route 15 in Jefferson in the early-morning hours of Sept. 19.

According to police reports, a passerby reported seeing a person lying in the roadway of northbound Route 15 near Edison Road at about 4 a.m. Jefferson police responding to the scene found an injured man, later identified as Michael Adams, 24, who appeared to have been struck by an unknown vehicle between 3 and 4 a.m.

Adams was transported to the Dover campus of St. Clare’s Medical Center, where he was later pronounced as dead.

Adams, who previously served in the Army Reserves, was a lifelong resident of Jefferson and a graduate of Pope John XXIII High School. He also attended Montclair State University and had worked as a driver for High Grade Beverage and a part-time cook at Mason Street Pub.

Detectives conducting the ongoing investigation are asking that anyone with information regarding this incident contact the Major Crimes Unit of the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office at 973-285-6200 or the Jefferson Township Police Department at 973-697-1300.

Any person with information can also reach out directly to the Morris County Sheriff’s CrimeStoppers at 973-267-2255 and/or http://morriscrimestoppers.org/. Information can be provided to CrimeStoppers anonymously.

Both Jefferson and county authorities noted they are “not involved,” in any aspect of the reward being offered, but did mention it in their joint statement.

Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-917-9242; wwesthoven@GannettNJ.com.