MILLVILLE, New Jersey -- A New Jersey State Trooper who graduated from the academy in January and was working on his master's degree in criminal justice was killed in a head-on collision Monday, when another driver crashed into his squad car.
Frankie Williams, 31, who was responding to a call for service, is the fourth state trooper to die in a car accident in less than two years.
The crash happened at about 7 p.m. Monday, when a man driving a Toyota Corolla south on State Route 55 in Millville crossed the grass median, entered the northbound lanes and struck Williams' marked patrol car head-on.
Williams, who was assigned to the force's Port Norris station, was flown to Cooper University Hospital, where he later died, police said.
The other man, whose name was not released, was pronounced dead at the scene.
On its Facebook page Tuesday, the state police called Williams a "bright and promising trooper." He had earned respect from his peers, the agency said, "establishing himself very early in his career as an outstanding trooper able to think quickly on his feet and make sound decisions."
His death put the agency in mourning once again.
Trooper Anthony Raspa, 24, died in May 2015 when his car struck a deer in Monmouth County.
Trooper Eli McCarson, 30, died in December 2015 when his car crashed into a utility pole in Salem County.
Trooper Sean Cullen, 31, was struck by car in March while assisting at the scene of a vehicle fire on I-295 in Deptford Township, Gloucester County.
Williams graduated from Rutgers-Camden with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice in 2012. He was recently working on his master's degree.
"As a graduate student at Rutgers University, my research is predicated upon creating awareness for cyber-crime and contributing to public awareness, in an effort to minimize cyber-crime victimization," his LinkedIn profile said.
Williams, before joining the state police academy, worked at a Lowe's from 2008 to 2015, where he was a customer service associate and a loss prevention manager.
As a trooper, he drew praise in August when he broke the window of a locked car with a baton and rescued a dog suffering from heat stroke inside. He then poured water on the dog in the shade, authorities said.
"He performed his duty more like a six-year veteran than a 6-month rookie," the state police said on its Facebook page Tuesday.
Public officials in New Jersey and police departmens and organizations from around the region and country were mourning Williams' death.
Copyright 2016 The Philadelphia Inquirer
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