An early morning crash is under investigation after three off-duty police officers from Linden and a civilian were injured, two were pronounced dead at the scene.
Initial investigation revealed that three off-duty officers with the Linden Police Department and a civilian traveling in a sedan appeared to have been going against traffic on the West Shore Expressway when they crashed head on with a tractor-trailer shortly before 5 a.m., according to police.
Two of the occupants, an off-duty officer and a civilian, were pronounced dead at the scene, while two others - off-duty officers - were taken to the hospital in critical condition, police added.
The identities of all those involved are being withheld until families have been notified.
According to Captain James Sarnicki, Linden Police Chief James Schulhafer and Armstead are heading to Staten Island hospitals to visit the injured officers in the crash.