Investigators say Rene Vega, 30, of Hopatcong, was driving a utility van north on Woodside Avenue when his cell phone fell to the floor and he collided with a parked pick-up truck.
NEWTON -- Two Newton Water and Sewer employees were injured Tuesday -- one of whom was airlifted to the hospital -- when a utility van crashed into their parked pick-up truck as they were working, police said.
Investigators say Rene Vega, 30, of Hopatcong, was driving a 2003 Ford E250 utility van north on Woodside Avenue when his cell phone fell to the floor. The van then collided with a 2010 Chevrolet pick-up truck owned by the town water and sewer department.
The pick-up truck, which was parked on the northbound shoulder, had a tow-behind compressor that struck two employees -- Jason Vandergroef, 21, of Andover, and Ervin Lasso, 53, of Lafayette.
Lasso was flown to Morristown Medical Center where he was listed in stable condition after sustaining injuries to his left leg, wrist, chest and head, police said.
Vandergroef was struck in the arm by the compressor but his injuries were less serious. He was treated and released from Newton Medical Center.
Vega, who was uninjured in the crash, was issued summons for careless driving and failure to exhibit a driver's license, police said.
Woodside Avenue was closed for about one-and-a-half hours while emergency personnel were at the scene. Water and Sewer employees were also present at the scene as they continued to conduct value work for upcoming water main repairs.
Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.