JACKSON — Two people were killed after a sport utility vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree before erupting in flames, authorities said.
Police said officers were first dispatched at approximately 12:08 a.m. on February 15 following reports of a transformer down in the street. Moments later, additional 911 calls alerted authorities to a crash involving a vehicle that had veered off Hyson Road and collided with a tree.
Responding officers located a black 2023 Toyota Highlander fully engulfed in fire. Officers attempted to rescue two occupants trapped inside the vehicle, but were unable to reach them due to the intensity of the blaze, officials said.
After firefighters extinguished the flames, both occupants were pronounced dead at the scene. Their identities were not immediately released.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Jackson Police Traffic Safety Unit.
Anyone who witnessed the incident is urged to contact Officer Matthew Kalbach at 732-928-1111, police said.
