Jason Rawa was headed eastbound when he saw a vehicle on the westbound side swerve to avoid a couch that had fallen off a vehicle in Hamilton, State Police said.
Rawa stopped on the median to help the driver of the vehicle that went into the guardrail when another car struck the couch, crashing into the first vehicle -- pushing it into Rawa, police said.
The officer was hospitalized in stable but critical condition.
More than $17,700 had been raised on a GoFundMe for Rawa, his wife, Julia Wood, and two kids as of Monday afternoon. The campaign was organized by Rawa's union, PBA Local 105.
Rawa, 47, has been working as a New Jersey corrections officer for 10 years.
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