SPARTA TOWNSHIP, NJ — A Morris Township man died early Sunday when his vehicle left Route 15 northbound, struck a guardrail and overturned in a wooded area.
Ryan Mullins, 21, of Morris Township, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Officers from the Sparta Township Police Department responded to the crash near Layton Lane at approximately 12:45 a.m. Sunday.
A preliminary investigation revealed that Mullins was driving a 2025 Kia K4 northbound on Route 15 with two female passengers when the vehicle left the roadway for reasons still under investigation.
The vehicle struck a guardrail, became airborne over adjacent railroad tracks and came to rest overturned in a wooded area near the highway.
The two passengers were able to self-extricate from the vehicle and were transported to a local hospital for evaluation and treatment.
Both passengers were later released.
Route 15 northbound was closed for approximately nine hours while emergency personnel secured the scene and investigators conducted the crash investigation.
The Sparta Township Police Department was assisted at the scene by the New Jersey State Police and the Sussex County Sheriff’s Office.
