US Marine, two brothers among 4 killed as car plows into tanker truck on New Jersey highway

US Marine, two brothers among 4 killed as car plows into tanker truck on New Jersey highway originally appeared on abcnews.go.com

A U.S. Marine was among four young men killed when a sedan they were in plowed into the back of a tanker truck in New Jersey early Wednesday, authorities said.

The crash on the Garden State Parkway killed U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Robert Ordenana, 23, of Lakewood, New Jersey, officials said.

Also killed in the crash were Kevin Quisepe-Prieto, 21, his brother, Jimmy Quisepe-Prieto, 23, and Victor Lugo, 24, according to the New Jersey State Police.

All four men were pronounced dead on the scene in Dover Township, police said.

PHOTO: Four people were killed when their car plowed into the back of a tanker truck on the Garden State Parkway in Berkeley Township, N.J., on Wednesday, Dec. 26, 2018. (WABC) More

Lakewood Township Mayor Raymond Coles told ABC News on Thursday that all four men were born in Lakewood and three of them resided there.

"It's the worst possible way to end the holiday like that. I don't have words for it," said Coles.

Coles said Lugo worked for the Lakewood Township's public works department. Lugo's mother works for the township's registrar's office and his stepfather, Alex Guzman, is a Lakewood Township police officer, according to Coles.

Lugo aspired to be a police officer like his stepfather, said Coles.

State Police said Kevin Quispe-Prieto, 21, was driving when he slammed into the back of the oil tanker truck on the Garden State Parkway about 2:50 a.m.

Photos from the scene showed the roof of the car sheared off as it ran into the back of the tanker.

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The driver of the tanker truck, whose name was not released, suffered non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

The cause of the crash is under investigation, police said.

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Ordenana was a rifleman who served in the U.S. Marines for four years, according to his official military personnel file.

He served in the Marine Corps from April 28, 2014, to April 24, 2017. During his military career, he was based at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina, assigned to 1st Batallion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division.

Ordenana was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, his records show.

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Police said the men killed were in an Infinity G37 sedan headed south on the Garden State Parkway when the vehicle hit the oil tanker that was either stopped or moving slowly in the right-hand lane.

The collision left the car wedged under the rear of the tanker truck, police said.

ABC News' Luis Martinez contributed to this report.