FRANKLIN, NJ — A woman died following a three-vehicle crash at the intersection of Route 23 and Mabie Street on June 18, 2026.
The Franklin Borough Police Department responded to the crash shortly after 9:30 a.m.
Responding officers were directed by bystanders to the operator of a Ford SUV and a juvenile passenger, both of whom had serious injuries.
A preliminary investigation found that the Ford SUV occupied by a female driver and a female juvenile front-seat passenger were struck on the driver side by a dump truck traveling in the northbound lane.
The initial impact with the dump truck resulted in the Ford SUV entering the southbound lane of Route 23 where it was struck again on the driver’s side by a southbound Toyota SUV.
The dump truck continued northbound briefly before leaving the roadway over the southbound shoulder where it struck a utility pole and came to rest in the rear yard of a nearby residence.
The utility pole strike disrupted electric service to the intersection and nearby residences, resulting in traffic being diverted while repairs were underway.
The occupants of the Ford were each transported via individual medevac units to a local trauma center for evaluation and treatment.
The operator of the Ford SUV, whose name is being withheld out of respect for her family, succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased by medical personnel.
The occupant of the Toyota SUV was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment of serious injuries.
The dump truck operator also reported injuries and was assessed at a nearby medical center.
The crash remains under investigation by the Franklin Borough Detective Bureau, the Sussex County Prosecutor’s Office and the New Jersey State Police Commercial Vehicle Unit.
