New Egypt fatal crash traced to insect in car

The November 9 crash on Route 539 in New Egypt that cost a Millstone college student his life began with a bug, say Ocean County investigators.

Official findings stand in testament to the risks of even the smallest distractions while driving, according to the office of county Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato.

Dylan Magee, 19, and Alexander Pannizzo, 18, of Millstone, students using Route 539 on their way to Stockton University, had their attention diverted by an insect that they were trying to swat inside Magee's 1995 Chevrolet Camaro Z28, authorities said.

During the distraction, at about 9:49 AM, the car crossed the center line, into the path of the 2014 Peterbilt driven by Norman Bird, Jr., 73, of Allentown NJ, investigators said.

Pannizzo died at the crash site at about 10:53 AM. Magee and Bird were briefly hospitalized for minor injuries.

The probe was developoed by Plumsted police, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office, and the county Sheriff's Department's CSI unit.