A beloved police officer died on Tuesday night as a result of a motor vehicle crash while off-duty.

Woodbridge Township Police officer Michael Tenpenn died following the crash in Carteret, Woodbridge Township spokesperson John R. Hagerty said in a statement on Wednesday.

The crash happened at 10:09 p.m. on Peter J. Sica Industrial Highway near Bristol Station Court, Hagerty said.

Tenpenn was a seven-year veteran with the department and was named the Woodbridge Police Department Officer of the First Quarter of 2022. During the three-month period, he responded to a total of 530 calls-for-service.

“Officer Tenpenny served our community with unwavering dedication, courage, and heart,” the department wrote in a social media post on Wednesday. “His absence leaves a void that cannot be fil

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