Sitting quietly Sunday afternoon in the living room of her apartment, Vickie Ader was struck nearly speechless by the news of her brother's death that she received just hours before."It's shocking," she said. "We didn't expect it to happen. I don't even know what to say."Advertisement
Ader's brother, Levi H. Ader III, died early Sunday morning in a fiery, single-vehicle crash in Union Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey State Police at Perryville said.Levi H. Ader III, of the 1400 block of Butler Street, was driving east on Route 614 when he lost control of his 2006 Dodge Ram pickup truck at 12:06 a.m., police said. The vehicle swerved off the two-lane road and struck a garbage container, mailbox, sign post and then a tree before catching fire, police said.State troopers' attempts to put out the fire and free Ader, who was trapped in the truck, were unsuccessful, police said. Ultimately members of the Pattenburg Volunteer Fire Co. extinguished the blaze.Ader, 37, a truck driver for Raritan Valley Disposal, was pronounced dead at the crash, police said. An autopsy is scheduled for today at the Hunterdon Medical Center to determine the exact cause of death, police said.Vickie Ader said she did not know what her brother was doing when he crashed."We're still trying to get all of the information," she said.Two Easton police officers came to their apartment mid-morning Sunday to give them the news, Vickie Ader said."They tried to contact us at 3 (Sunday) morning, but we just didn't hear the buzzer I guess," she said.Vickie Ader said she lived with her brother and father, Levi Ader Jr., 65, in the apartment in Easton's West Ward. Levi Ader's mother, Victoria Latricia Ader, died in 1986 after a bout with cancer.Vickie Ader said her family is originally from Long Valley, N.J., but moved about 10 years ago to Easton.Remembering her brother as a fun-loving NASCAR fan who liked to attend races and barbecue with his friends, Vickie Ader said he was always the life of the party."He had that type of personality," she said.Vickie Ader said her brother's favorite driver was Dale Earnhart Jr. and he collected NASCAR memorabilia, including some pieces signed by Dale Jarrett, who "used to be his driver."The family said service arrangements are still pending.Reporter Michael Buck can be reached at 610-258-7171 or by e-mail at
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