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Zachary J. Bautz, 28, of Maple Shade, New Jersey, was tragically killed in a crash on Route 322 near Hummelstown when his box truck struck the Fiddlers Elbow bridge abutment, Derry Township police announced on Monday, Nov. 11. Bautz veered off the westbound lane, hitting a roadside message board, a concrete barrier, and traveling up an embankment before colliding with the bridge abutment at 6:16 a.m., causing the truck to roll onto its side. Emergency responders attempted life-saving measures, but Bautz, the vehicle’s sole occupant, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Born in Willingboro and raised in Delran, Bautz had recently settled in Maple Shade. He worked as a truck driver for J. Ambrogi Foods in Thorofare, New Jersey. An outstanding athlete in high school, Bautz was drafted by the New Jersey Eagles semi-professional football team and was an avid fan of Philadelphia sports, especially the Eagles. He also enjoyed playing video games, according to his obituary at the Chadwick Memorial Home.
Bautz is survived by his beloved wife, Emily E. Bautz (née Salaga); his parents, Donald C. Jr. and Joanne Bautz; his siblings Jordan Ortiz (Felix Ortiz Sr.) and Devin Bautz; and his grandparents Donald C. and Barbara Bautz, and Florence Martin. He was also the godfather to his nephew and niece and is survived by his in-laws, Jerry Houck, Kelly Salaga, Ryan Salaga, and Kenneth Salaga.
A viewing will be held on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Chadwick Memorial Home, 154 Webster Street, Riverside, NJ, with a service beginning at 9 p.m. Instead of flowers, the family requests donations to the Burlington County Animal Shelter, 35 Academy Drive, Westampton, NJ 08060.
Following the crash, Route 322 was closed until 3:15 p.m. as investigators from the Derry Township Police Department Traffic Safety Unit and the Dauphin County Accident Reconstruction Team examined the scene. Police are asking anyone who witnessed the crash to contact Sgt. Jana Klinger at (717) 534-2202.
Click here to read his full obituary.
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