Camden County, NJ, Man Driving a Fire Truck Charged in Crash That Killed Two

Authorities in Camden County say a man who was driving a fire truck has been charged in connection to a crash that killed two people this past January.

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Camden County Prosecutor Grace MacAulay says 29-year-old John Gibson of Lawnside was arrested on Thursday and charged with two counts of second-degree vehicular homicide by operating a vehicle recklessly and causing the deaths of 68-year old John Bishop and 75-year-old Marie Endicott, both of Pine Hill. Gibson was also charged with third-degree hindering apprehension or prosecution.

MacAulay's office says on the morning of January 19th, officers responded to a crash on the White Horse Pike at Warwick Road in Magnolia that involved a Lawnside Borough Fire Department fire truck and a vehicle.

An investigation determined Gibson, who was operating the fire truck on behalf of the Lawnside Borough Fire Department at the time of the crash, drove the truck into the opposing lane of travel, against the designated flow of traffic and around other vehicles that were stopped at the red light directly in front of the fire truck in the designated lane of travel, to enter the intersection. Gibson then went through the red light at the intersection without stopping and crashed into the Nissan Sentra which was being driven by John Bishop, with Marie Endicott as the front seat passenger.

Both Bishop and Endicott were pronounced dead at the scene.

NJ.com reports officials as saying the truck was responding to a cardiac arrest call when the deadly crash happened.

Gibson was charged on a warrant and released with conditions after having appeared in court.

The public is reminded that charges are accusations and all persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.