LACEY -- A township police officer responding to a call early Sunday morning struck and killed a pedestrian in the area of Lacey and Deerhead Lake roads, authorities said.

Neil Van De Putte, 25, of Toms River, was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:47 a.m., said Al Della Fave, a spokesman for the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

At around 3:25 a.m., Lacey Township Police Officer Andrew Slota was responding to a call and traveling east on Lacey Road when his patrol car hit Van De Putte, Della Fave said. Slota's vehicle then veered off the road and struck a utility pole.

Witnesses said Van De Putte was crossing the street against the traffic signal to the north side of Lacey Road at the Deerhead Lake Road intersection when he was hit, according to Della Fave.

Slota swerved to avoid hitting Van De Putte, Della Fave said, but the victim was hit by the front passenger side of the patrol vehicle. Slota's vehicle then struck a utility pole on the westbound side of the road, eventually coming to a rest in a bank parking lot adjacent to the roadway.

Slota was taken to the Community Medical Center in Toms River where he was treated for non-life-threatening injuries, Della Fave said.

The Lacey Police Department is not involved with the investigation because an officer from the department was involved, Della Fave said. Instead, a joint investigation will be conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes/Fatal Accident Investigation Unit, Toms River Police Department and the Ocean County Sheriff's Department CSI.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.