Crime & Safety

Basking Ridge Man Cited for Mt. Airy Crash

Accident reportedly still under investigation. The following arrest information was supplied by the Bernardsville Police Department and does not indicate a conviction.

Bernardsville police on Thursday identified a Basking Ridge man whose vehicle struck and cracked a utility pole, a mishap that closed a section of Mount Airy Road for all day on Tuesday and three more hours on Thursday, as Edward Cook, 23, of Berkeley Circle.

The one-car accident remains under investigation, and borough police said early Thursday that officers had not yet had a chance to talk with Cook, who reportedly had remained hospitalized as of Wednesday.

After Tuesday's accident, Cook had been transported by the Bernardsville First Aid Squad to Morristown Memorial Hospital, police said. He initially appeared to have injuries to his lower extremities, according to borough police.

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Cook was in his vehicle alone when he apparently struck and cracked a telephone pole on the northbound lane of Mount Airy (Somerset County Route 525)  according to police.

Utility crews were but were undecided during the day on Tuesday whether the old pole should be removed. Police said the cracked pole was near the intersection with Dobbs Street.

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Ultimately, that section of Mount Airy Road was blocked off for about another three hours on Thursday while a utility company crew removed the old pole, said Bernardsville Police Lt. Demmings Hoadley.

Hoadley said Cook now faces summons charging him with reckless driving, failure to wear a seat belt, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The accident remains under investigation, Hoadley said on Thursday afternoon.

A previous version of this story identified the driver as being 25, based on information from police supplied at that time.


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