Man killed in single car accident
CAPE MAY – Cape May police say a Pennsylvania man was killed in a fiery single-car accident on Pittsburgh Avenue near New York Avenue May 3.
Police say Patrick McAteer, 34, of West Chester, Pa. was pronounced dead at the scene. He was described as a summer resident, whose family had a vacation house in Cape May.
An autopsy was planned for early this week.
According to police, he was alone in the car, traveling down New York Avenue when the 2004 Nissan left the road. As an officer who was on scene described it, the car struck the curb and was launched about 25 feet in to the reeds off of Pittsburgh at 7:28 p.m. Saturday.
Police believe the car struck a large rock, and the gas tank was ruptured. The vehicle caught fire, and was badly burned, Det. Sgt. Anthony Marino said. The fire also consumed about 100 square feet of phragmites reeds around the accident scene.
The Cape May Fire Department and the fire department from the United States Coast Guard base responded to the scene.
Police Chief Diane Sorantino said the department is awaiting more details about the potential cause of the crash from the county’s fatal accident investigation unit.
Also investigating are Ptl. Doug Henderson, Ptl. Joseph Walker, Marino, Det. Victor DeMusz, Investigator William Henfey of the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office and Ptl. Anthony Cardella of the North Wildwood Police.
Police say Patrick McAteer, 34, of West Chester, Pa. was pronounced dead at the scene. He was described as a summer resident, whose family had a vacation house in Cape May.
An autopsy was planned for early this week.
According to police, he was alone in the car, traveling down New York Avenue when the 2004 Nissan left the road. As an officer who was on scene described it, the car struck the curb and was launched about 25 feet in to the reeds off of Pittsburgh at 7:28 p.m. Saturday.
Police believe the car struck a large rock, and the gas tank was ruptured. The vehicle caught fire, and was badly burned, Det. Sgt. Anthony Marino said. The fire also consumed about 100 square feet of phragmites reeds around the accident scene.
The Cape May Fire Department and the fire department from the United States Coast Guard base responded to the scene.
Police Chief Diane Sorantino said the department is awaiting more details about the potential cause of the crash from the county’s fatal accident investigation unit.
Also investigating are Ptl. Doug Henderson, Ptl. Joseph Walker, Marino, Det. Victor DeMusz, Investigator William Henfey of the Cape May County Prosecutor’s Office and Ptl. Anthony Cardella of the North Wildwood Police.
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