Trenton police were taking the teen to the Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center in North Brunswick.
WEST WINDSOR -- A Somerset man was charged with careless driving early Friday after apparently falling asleep at the wheel and crashing into a Trenton police car taking a teenager to jail, police said.
The officers were not hurt, but the driver and the 16-year-old prisoner suffered minor injuries in the 2:15 a.m. crash on Route 1 northbound near Meadow Road, police said.
Both were taken to University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro for treatment of non life-threatening injuries.
Police said a BMW driven by Hansel Zaruela, 21, of Somerset, struck the rear of the police car, a Ford Explorer being driven by Officer Gilbert Quinones, which was in the middle lane.
The collision caused Zaruela's vehicle to leave the highway's right side and strike a tree. The police vehicle spun, but did not leave the highway, police said.
Quinones and passenger Officer Rosemarie Addar were taking the teen to the Middlesex County Juvenile Detention Center in North Brunswick. Zaruela was issued a summons for careless driving.
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