Wayne Teen Wasn't Texting Before Fatal Accident, Parents Say

The family of Erin Quinn, the Wayne teenager who was killed in a car crash on Route 80 last month, has debunked online postings that Quinn was texting while driving and that caused the accident to occur.

Quinn was killed when she lost control of the 2001 Saturn she was driving, left the roadway, and crashed into a tree on an embankment on Route 80 in Parsippany.

State police have said that another driver may have cut Quinn off, causing her to lose control of the vehicle.

Barry Quinn, Erin’s father, posted on NJ.com that his daughter was not texting before the accident occurred.

“Her phone records indicate no activity for almost an hour before she left home. 

“Have you considered the white van was directly to her left as he made his move leaving her no choice but to attempt to steer away toward the shoulder?” Quinn said in a post under the screen name “Daddicus.”

“I trained Erin to drive everyday for a full year in a full size pickup truck without incident. She was trained to always be alert and on the lookout for poor drivers (probably similar to yourselves) who continuously fail to indicate their intentions to change lanes or turn. She always allowed 30 extra minutes to get to school.”

Patch user Kit Kat, who claimed she is Quinn’s stepmother, Lise Quinn, posted Thursday that the state police verified Quinn’s phone records.

“She was not texting nor was she on the phone. I, as well as, the state police verified her phone records. The accident was around 9:33 am. Her last text which incidentally was an incoming text was around 9 am. It takes approximately 20 minutes to get from our house to the accident site. The last text was at least 10 minutes prior to her leaving the house.

Neither of Quinn's parents could be reached for comment.

Quinn’s father told NJ.com that Isaac Rinas’ parents visited he and his wife to pay their condolences. 

Rinas was murdered hours after he and Quinn graduated June 26 during an alleged robbery that went wrong in Paterson. Rinas was trying to buy a gun in Paterson when he was shot in the throat, authorities said.

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