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Trooper Glenny Almonte #7358, a National Guard member who was engaged to be married, was pronounced dead at Hackensack University Medical Center following the 1:44 a.m. collision, which authorities said occurred in the southbound lanes of the western spur at mile marker 115.6 near the Vince Lombardi service area.
“The preliminary investigation indicates that the silver Honda Accord driven by Almonte was traveling southbound when it struck a curb and guiderail by the Vince Lombardi service area after which it ended up in the path of a southbound tractor trailer,” the State Police said in a release early this afternoon.
The truck hit the driver’s side of the Honda, which ended up facing north.
Ridgefield Rescue 2 responded within moments of the crash.
Almonte was pinned in the “completely mangled”car. He was extricated, CPR was conducted and Almonte was transported to HUMC by Ridgefield EMS.
He was pronounced at the hospital shortly after 2:30 a.m., the NJSP said.
Almonte, who recently moved to Lyndhurst from West New York, was in the 152nd State Police Class — along with NJSP Trooper Anthony Raspa — that graduated the academy in October 2013.
He was assigned to Totowa Station, where he served as a general duty trooper.
“He had 2 dreams in life: 1. To become a New Jersey State Trooper. 2. To finish his degree at Fairleigh Dickinson University,” friend Eric Crafton said this morning. “Sadly, we will never see what his ceiling was to be.
“In my opinion, there was no limit to his potential.”
The New Jersey State Police Fatal Accident Unit, Crime Scene Investigation Unit, with personnel from the Newark Station, was investigating.
“The loss of Trooper Glenny Almonte saddens the entire State Police family. We are offering support to Trooper Almonte’s loved ones as well as to all of our employees touched by this tragedy,” NJSP Supt. Col. Rick Fuentes said.
PHOTO: Courtesy ERIC CRAFTON
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