A 24-year-old Kinnelon woman was killed yesterday when her automobile crossed over the center median on Route 78 in Springfield and struck a tractor-trailer, police said.
State Police are investigating whether the young woman, who was on her way to a Clark pet shop where she worked part-time to help out a girlfriend, may have been cut off and lost control of her 2001 Honda Civic.
Melissa Alessandra of Boonton Avenue was driving east shortly before 10 a.m. when she crossed over the grass median in a section where there are no barriers. Her car then continued into oncoming westbound traffic, where she struck the side of a tractor-trailer, said Sgt. William Soltesz.
Alessandra was ejected from the vehicle and pronounced dead at the scene. Her car was totaled, police said.
With the express lanes closed for nearly two hours, westbound traffic was backed up for miles, while eastbound traffic slowed due to rubbernecking, Soltesz said.
Investigators were still questioning witnesses last night and had not determined the cause of the accident. The investigation was continuing, he said.
Alessandra was in the local lanes when she first swerved into the express lanes, and then continued across the center median onto the westbound express lanes, where there was an oncoming tractor-trailer, according to trooper Jason Jorgensen.
Edward Gerardi, 40, of Blackford Avenue in Piscataway, told police he tried to avoid Alessandra when he saw her coming across. While he avoided a head-on collision, the Honda then struck the side of the tractor-trailer, Soltesz said.
The young woman, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown about 10 feet from the vehicle, he said.
Police believe both vehicles were traveling about 55 mph, the speed limit in that section of the interstate.
Gerardi was not injured in the collision. However, his 1991 Peterbilt tractor was disabled by the accident and it, along with the trailer filled with flower bulbs, had to be towed from the scene.
"The truck will be checked, but it didn't appear there was anything wrong with it," Soltesz said.
While the state has been installing barriers in areas of the interstate to prevent crossover accidents, this section is still open. "In that area, it's a grass median and you can come across easy," Soltesz said.
A 1999 graduate of Kinnelon High School, Alessandra was living at home. She had attended Wagner College in Staten Island and was employed full-time at Kiddie Academy in Rockaway, where she worked with the younger children, said her mother, Carol Alessandra.
"She was very sweet and outgoing, a real people person," said her mother.
Because of her rotating schedule at the Kiddie Academy, she had yesterday off and was heading to Animal Crackers, a pet store in Clark that her girlfriend had started, said Carol Alessandra.
"She loved kids and animals," said her mother. "She just got a pug and named her Chloe."
Gabriel H. Gluck is a reporter in the Union County bureau. He may be reached at (908) 302-1506 or
ggluck@starledger.com.
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