2008 Woodie Awards
Car Accident; Death of MSU Student
Lillian M. Aleman
Issue date: 12/11/03 Section: News
A Delta Chi brother died after sustaining massive head injuries in a car accident on Route 3 in Clifton Friday, said police.
MSU student Michael "Hardcore" Sularz, 21, died at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, Paterson, at 4:45 p.m., more than 13 hours after the driver of the vehicle, Robert Montanez, was pronounced dead at the scene.
At about 3:20 a.m., Montanez, 25, of Lodi, lost control of the 2003 Honda Civic when it jumped the curb of the Passaic Avenue exit on the eastbound side of Route 3 and hit a utility pole, said Jim Wilson, Passaic County Senior Assistant Prosecutor of Vehicular Homicide.
Sularz was ejected from the passenger side window of the vehicle. He was hospitalized and listed in severe critical condition.
"It appears [Montanez] was traveling at a high rate of speed, but we haven't been able to determine the exact rate yet," said Wilson.
The eastbound side of Route 3 was closed for several hours for investigation purposes. Wilson did not know whether or not Montanez or Sularz were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident. The department has yet to receive toxicology or autopsy reports, which could take up to eight to 10 weeks .
It is not known where Sularz or Montanez were coming from, or where they were going, said Wilson.
MSU student Michael "Hardcore" Sularz, 21, died at St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, Paterson, at 4:45 p.m., more than 13 hours after the driver of the vehicle, Robert Montanez, was pronounced dead at the scene.
At about 3:20 a.m., Montanez, 25, of Lodi, lost control of the 2003 Honda Civic when it jumped the curb of the Passaic Avenue exit on the eastbound side of Route 3 and hit a utility pole, said Jim Wilson, Passaic County Senior Assistant Prosecutor of Vehicular Homicide.
Sularz was ejected from the passenger side window of the vehicle. He was hospitalized and listed in severe critical condition.
"It appears [Montanez] was traveling at a high rate of speed, but we haven't been able to determine the exact rate yet," said Wilson.
The eastbound side of Route 3 was closed for several hours for investigation purposes. Wilson did not know whether or not Montanez or Sularz were wearing seatbelts at the time of the accident. The department has yet to receive toxicology or autopsy reports, which could take up to eight to 10 weeks .
It is not known where Sularz or Montanez were coming from, or where they were going, said Wilson.