A judge set a $250,000 bail for a Newark man who allegedly killed a 7-year-old West New York girl in a hit-and-run accident on Monday morning.
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Hudson County Superior Court Judge Paul DePascuale issued a $250,000 bail for Fabian Gonzalez, 33, with no 10 percent option, while Johana Rosas-Alvarez, 26, (both of Newark) the owner of the car who is accused of reporting it stolen after her husband had the fatal accident, saw her bail set at $7,500 with a 10 percent option.
The court acknowledged that the Immigration Customs Enforcement, better known as ICE, had been informed of Gonzalez’s situation since he is an illegal alien from Ecuador, but as of today, they have not taken any formal action against him.
With over a dozen media members in attendance, only a limited number of press credentials were approved for the hearing – which was difficult to understand since a Spanish translator spoke over the proceedings in English.
However, attorneys Rodrigo Sanchez and Brooke Barnett, representing Gonzalez and Rosas-Alvarez, respectively, spoke with members of the media outside of the court.
Sanchez said that “in a matter of minutes her whole world got turned upside down,†noting that his client was in tears throughout the court hearing.
He also stated that the couple has a 7-year-old son at home and that he did not currently have enough information to comment on whether or not she reported the 2015 Chevy Tahoe stolen to police.
Meanwhile, Barnett said she is yet to see any conclusive evidence that Gonzalez was the one driving the vehicle when the fatal accident occurred, adding that she could not confirm or deny is Rodriguez had a driver’s license at this time.
Officials announced the arrests of Gonzalez and Rosas-Alvarez at a press conference at West New York Town Hall yesterday, an event that brought Javier Pichardo, the father of the deceased Sheyla Pichardo, to tears.