A preliminary investigation into a crash that left a man dead in Newark overnight had authorities ruling out a police pursuit.
According to Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray, detectives are investigating the fatal motor vehicle crash that occurred early this morning.
A spokesperson for the prosecutor's office said shortly after 3:00 am, Newark officers observed a silver vehicle speeding northbound on Frelinghuysen Avenue.
The officers activated the emergency lights in their patrol car but deactivated the lights shortly thereafter due to road and weather conditions the spokesperson said.
A short time later, the officers observed that the silver vehicle crashed into a building in the 300 block of Sherman Avenue.
The driver was unresponsive inside the vehicle and shortly after was pronounced dead at the scene.
The identity of the driver is pending formal identification and notification of next of kin.
The incident is being investigated by the Prosecutor's Critical Incident Response Team.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.