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Members of the Rutherford Volunteer First-Aid Ambulance Corps expressed their feelings in a social media post:
"Our heartfelt condolences go out to those involved in (Friday's) tragic accident. We pray for those grieving and recovering, and thank all the agencies who assisted throughout....Take a moment to hug your kids tonight, as life is so fragile."
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ORIGINAL STORY: A 17-year-old Rutherford driver was killed and three of his friends injured, at least one seriously, when their car slammed into a utility pole off Route 3 Friday afternoon.
Firefighters "worked tirelessly for two hours" to get a back-seat passenger out of the two-door BMW 228i coupe after it crashed sideways into the pole on the driver's side around 3 p.m. on Marginal Road, Rutherford Police Chief John Russo said.
The driver, Tyler Stoica, was pronounced dead at the scene. The male passengers, who Russo believes are also all 17, were taken to Hackensack University Medical Center.
The chief was extremely somber in describing what happened.
"It was a terrible scene, a tragic accident," he said.
Multiple ambulances responded, along with borough police and firefighters and responders from neighboring towns, the chief said.
The Bergen County Prosecutor's Fatal Accident Unit was notified and the county sheriff's Bureau of Criminal Identification collected evidence. Nick's Towing removed the vehicle.
The BMW had apparently come off Ridge Road headed west when it slammed into the utility pole on the north side of Marginal Road -- which runs parallel to the westbound highway -- between Wheaton Place and Lincoln Avenue.
"Our borough firefighters were unbelievable during what was a terrible situation," Russo said. "The amount of mutual aid that we received by way of ambulances from four different towns and police personnel and responders was overwhelming."
Loved ones and several young local residents who'd heard about the crash converged on the scene. They watched silently as the borough's bravest worked intently to free the trapped passenger.
"Everybody in town is affected by this, whether they were there or not," Russo said.
"People know these kids. They're all about to become (high school) seniors," the chief said. "The first responders at the scene have kids of their own who are friends with them."
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