Paterson Man Killed, Two Injured in Tragic Highway Crash on I-80

July 20, 2025, Paterson, NJ, A collision on the highway in Paterson late at night turned fatal when a Paterson man was hit and murdered while standing on the side of Interstate 80. According to the New Jersey State Police, two more people were hurt in the same event.

The crash happened on I-80 East, near milepost 60.2, just after 12:30 a.m. Police said that 36-year-old Clarence Fennel, who lived in Paterson, was in a Cadillac with two other people when their car hit a Toyota. The left lane stopped both cars.

After the accident, Fennel and the other people in the Cadillac got out and stood in the road. A Tesla heading east on the same highway hit the back of the Toyota a few moments later. The collision had the Toyota surge forward, hitting Fennel and the other two passengers who had gotten out of the Cadillac.

Sadly, Fennel died at the scene from his injuries. According to the authorities, one of the other people in the Cadillac was hurt badly, while the driver only had minor injuries. No one else was hurt in the crash.

The investigation into what happened is still going on. State Police are telling drivers to stay in their cars after a crash if it’s safe to do so, especially on major routes.