LOWER TOWNSHIP, N.J. — A 17-year-old male was killed in a crash involving a Lower Township municipal trash truck and a dirt bike on Bayshore Road, Cape May County authorities announced Tuesday.

The incident occurred on January 14, 2025, around 11:34 a.m., when Lower Township Police responded to a 911 call reporting the collision near Atlantic Avenue in the Villas section of the township.

According to the preliminary investigation, the municipal trash truck was traveling northbound on Bayshore Road and began making a right turn onto East Atlantic Avenue when it struck the dirt bike. The teen had been riding southbound on the northbound shoulder of the road.

The truck driver told investigators they saw the dirt bike approaching at high speed and attempted to stop but was unable to prevent the collision. Witnesses confirmed the truck was moving slowly—about 5 mph—and had come to a complete stop at the time of impact.

The Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office Crash Investigation Unit, alongside Lower Township Police, is reviewing surveillance footage and scene data as part of the ongoing investigation.

Authorities have not released the identity of the teen pending family notification.

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