Crime & Safety

Hawthorne Resident Killed in Colonial Avenue Motorcycle Crash

Friday night accident is still under investigation

identified the man who was killed in a motorcycle accident on Colonial Road in Franklin Lakes Friday night.

Cops say Thomas Ruane, 56, was driving his Harley Davidson south on the s-shaped curve of road near Colonial's intersection with Summit Avenue when the motorcycle dropped to its side.

"The operator of the vehicle was found lying on the curbside of Colonial Road," according to Franklin Lakes Police Lt. John Bakelaar.

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Police received a 911 call at approximately 8:17 p.m. notifying them of the incident.

There were no other vehicles involved in the accident and the motorcycle did not appear to have struck anything, Bakelaar added.   

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Ruane, a Hawthorne resident who was a Navy veteran, was pronounced dead on the scene.

The Franklin Lakes Ambulance Corps and Fire Department were dispatched as well as paramedics out of Valley Hospital in Ridgewood. The Bergen County Fatal Accident Unit assisted at with the on-scene investigation. Oakland PD assisted with traffic control.  The cause of the accident is presently under investigation.


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