A New Jersey mechanic called in police after finding human teeth in the grill of a car they were servicing.
The grisly discovery at the Goodyear Service Center in Linden is thought to belong to a body found deceased on the New Jersey Turnpike in December.
Linden Mayor Derek Amstead told NBC New York it was initially thought the teeth may be from a deer, but forensic analysis confirmed they were human.
Human hair was also discovered on the undercarriage of the car as it was being checked at the car repair shop.
Mr Amstead said the woman who owns the car had brought the car in for an inspection after noticing something wrong with how it was running.
Police suspect the motorist may have hit a person whose body was found on the New Jersey Turnpike in December.
Police have opened and investigation, but say they do not believe the woman knew she had hit anything and have not filed charges.
