A vehicle is towed away after a fatal accident on Route 9 near Route 516 in Old Bridge, N.J., Tuesday, March 15, 2016. Authorities say a two-vehicle crash on a major New Jersey roadway has left multiple people dead and others seriously injured. (John O'Boyle /NJ Advance Media via AP)
A vehicle is towed away after a fatal accident on Route 9 near Route 516 in Old Bridge, N.J., Tuesday, March 15, 2016. Authorities say a two-vehicle crash on a major New Jersey roadway has left multiple people dead and others seriously injured. (John O’Boyle /NJ Advance Media via AP)

 

Old Bridge, NJ – Authorities say a head-on crash on a major New Jersey roadway has left three people dead and two women seriously injured.

But it’s still not clear what caused Tuesday’s accident on Route 9 in Old Bridge, near Route 516.

Authorities say an SUV driven by a man from Howell, NJ and a car driven by a woman from Freehold, NJ were involved in the crash, which was reported around 12:30 p.m. Witnesses said the SUV crossed over a grass median and collided with the sedan.

Both drivers and a 62-year-old male passenger in the car were killed. Two women — ages 62 and 86 — were hospitalized with undisclosed injuries.

Television reports showed the sedan was badly damaged and the SUV’s front end was crushed.

The accident forced police to close a stretch of the highway for a few hours, causing major travel delays in the area. But most lanes were reopened as the evening commute was starting.

As reported by Vos Iz Neias