The crash happened just before 2:30 a.m. at the intersection of Route 9 and Spring Valley Road in Old Bridge.
Video from Newscopter 7 showed that both cars went off the road and one of them caught fire.
The Old Bridge Attorney General's Office said a Marlboro police officer attempted to stop a vehicle in connection to an investigation into an attempted car robbery in the town.
The car ended up striking other vehicles, killing one person and injuring three other people.
The identities of the victims have not been released.
All southbound lanes were closed following the accident and were finally reopened just after 10 a.m.
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