The Monday, June 27, 2016, accident is the third on this section of Interstate 287 in Somerset County in recent weeks.
FRANKLIN TWP. -- A motorcyclist died early Monday after he lost control of his bike while traveling southbound on Interstate 287 near mile marker 11.8, Sgt. Gregory Williams, a State Police spokesman, confirmed.
Jeffrey Chaparro, 26, of Somerset was pronounced dead at the scene, said Williams. He had been struck by five vehicles after falling off the motorcycle.
The accident was the third in the same area of Interstate 287 in the past two weeks and the second fatality on this stretch of expressway this year.
At 3:43 a.m. Monday, State Police responded to a report of an accident involving a motorcycle and several vehicles on I-287 south in Franklin Township, said Williams.
According to the initial investigation, Chaparro was riding a 2006 Honda Ruckus traveling south in the right lane when the bike tipped over and he fell off. Chaparro fell and slid into the center lane and was struck by a 2016 Mazda 6, who was traveling in the center lane, said Williams.
The Mazda came to a stop in the middle of Interstate 287 southbound and Chaparro was hit by four additional vehicles. At 3:56 a.m., Chaparro was pronounced dead at the scene, said Williams.
2 accidents cause messy 287 commute
The accident closed Interstate 287 south between exit 12 (Route 623) and exit 10 (Easton Avenue) for four hours, said Williams.
The accident remains under investigation, he said. The New Jersey State Police Fatal Accident Investigation Unit, Crime Scene Investigation Unit and Accident Management Unit and the Essex County Medical Examiner's Office responded to the scene, said Williams.
The New Jersey Department of Transportation assisted in the closure of lanes, said Williams.
On June 17, two separate accidents caused delays on both sides of Interstate 287 in the same area.
One on the northbound side near exit 14 just before 9:30 a.m. involved two Honda Accords. Earlier the same day, two tractors-trailers - one hauling bread and the other deli meat - crashed on the southbound side in South Plainfield.
Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.