A retired Haddonfield police officer died after his three-wheeled motorcycle struck a stopped vehicle on the White Horse Pike in Waterford Township, throwing him from the bike in a crash that happened around 6:18 p.m. Wednesday near Briarcliff Road. John Burger III, 57, of Tabernacle, was taken to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Burger was rushed to Virtua Voorhees Hospital following the collision, according to Daily Voice, which reported that he struck the stopped vehicle and was thrown from his motorcycle. The crash occurred at the intersection of White Horse Pike and Briarcliff Road, and as reported by NJ.com, Waterford Township police said officers responded to the area after receiving a report of a severely injured motorcyclist.
Separately, the Waterford Township Police Department had reported that eastbound White Horse Pike near Vineyard Road was closed because of a serious motor vehicle accident, per a notice posted to the department's Nixle alert system.
A Nearly Two-Decade Law Enforcement Career
Before his retirement, Burger spent years in local law enforcement across Camden County. The same Daily Voice report notes he served with the Medford Lakes Police Department from 1998 to 1999 before joining the Haddonfield Police Department, where he worked from 2001 until retiring in 2019.
Haddonfield's police department released a statement mourning Burger, describing his service with the department as marked by honor, integrity and compassion. The department announced the death of the retired patrolman from injuries sustained in the motor vehicle accident the previous night, and it expressed condolences to Burger's family and friends.
Investigation Continues
The crash remains under investigation, according to the Daily Voice report. Waterford Township police are asking anyone with information to contact Capt. Timothy Lyons at 856-767-2134, extension 203.
