Truck Drives Into Water At Woodbridge Boat Launch

WOODBRIDGE, NJ — A man trying to launch his motorboat accidentally drove into the Arthur Kill waterway in Woodbridge Sunday morning, causing his pick-up truck to become fully submerged in the river, said Woodbridge police and firefighters.

The driver was not injured in the dramatic incident.

New Jersey State Police divers responded to the scene and helped retrieve the pick-up truck, with the boat trailer attached, from the murky brown waters of the Arthur Kill.

The incident occurred at approximately 6:50 a.m. Sunday at the Sewaren boat launch at Captain Carlsen Park, said Woodbridge Police Director Robert Hubner.

"The driver somehow lost control and backed (the) boat and trailer along with his vehicle into the water, causing the boat and trailer to submerge," said Hubner the Monday morning after the incident.

The driver was not injured and he watched as the New Jersey State Police Dive Team dove into the water and helped get his truck back out, said eyewitnesses at the scene. It took several hours to retrieve the pick-up.

"It was just a freak accident," said John Golden, chief of the Woodbridge Fire Dept District #1. "And then the tide came in around 11/11:30 and completely covered his vehicle."

The Sewaren boat ramp is located on Ferry Street in Woodbridge Township. It is a popular spot used by recreational boaters and fishermen to access Raritan Bay and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. One person who witnessed this speculated that the boat ramp there gets slippery at low tide from algae buildup.

Along with Woodbridge Police, fire and New Jersey State Police, Middlesex County hazmat crews responded to help mitigate and secure the vehicle while B&L Towing removed the truck.

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