TRENTON, N.J., Jan. 10 (UPI) -- Alex DeCroce, the top Republican in the New Jersey Assembly, collapsed and died in a bathroom at the Statehouse late Monday night, officials said. He was 75.
A spokesman for New Jersey State Police told The (Newark, N.J.) Star-Ledger that DeCroce's death came minutes after the 214th Legislature wrapped up its final voting session.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and four of his staffers showed up at the Statehouse at midnight when told of DeCroce's death.
"He was one of the most kind, considerate and trustworthy people I have ever had the pleasure to know," Christie said. "He was an enormously accomplished legislator and a tremendous servant to the people of New Jersey."
Legislative sources said Christie would not deliver his scheduled State of the State address Tuesday afternoon.
Instead, they said the governor would make brief remarks.
The 75-year-old DeCroce was first elected to the Assembly in 1989 and became minority leader in 2003.
He was born in Morristown, N.J., and attended Seton Hall University before going into the real estate business.
