NJ trooper trapped after wire, transformer falls on car

MILLSTONE — A State Police trooper was trapped Thursday night when a utility pole accidentally fell on his vehicle.

The trooper from Hamilton Station was assisting at the scene of a tree that fell onto Conover Road about 8:30 p.m., according to spokesman Charles Marchan.

A Department of Public Works front-end loader pushed the tree into a utility pole, which brought down live wires and a transformer onto the troop car, according to State Police Superintendent Pat Callahan.

"Wisely, he did not get out of it and waited for service providers and the town to show up and allow him to exit and get out of there safely," Callahan said during Gov. Phil Murphy's news briefing on Friday.

Callahan said the trooper, whose identity was not disclosed, was not injured.

Utility companies urge people to not touch downed wires on streets and in yards.

Murphy on Wednesday said he was told about a live wire that fell on a car and melted a windshield.

"So imagine what it can do to you," he said. "That’s something you don’t want to fool around with, please."

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