A young Jersey City man was arrested yesterday for Tuesday’s fatal hit-and-run on John F. Kennedy Boulevard that took the life of a deaf man, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced.Â
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Oriental J. Hamlet, 19, of Jersey City, was charged with aggravated manslaughter, death by auto, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, driving while unlicensed and causing death, eluding, receiving stolen property, assault by auto and resisting arrest by flight, Suarez said in a statement.
Late yesterday afternoon, Hamlet was arrested by members of the Hudson County Regional Fatal Collision Unit.
On Tuesday at approximately 4:30 a.m., a pedestrian was struck near the intersection of Communipaw Avenue and John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Jersey City. The victim, Umar
King, 33, of Jersey City, was pronounced dead at the scene shortly before 5:00 a.m., officials said.
The initial investigation revealed that the striking vehicle, a 2005 Toyota 4-Runner, was reported stolen out of Jersey City on January 19. A marked Hudson County Sheriff’s officer
spotted the car speeding south on Kennedy Boulevard, authorities said.
The officer attempted to initiate a motor vehicle stop, but the car began speeding away. The car drove through multiple red lights, including the one at the intersection of Communipaw Avenue and Kennedy Boulevard where it struck a 2013 Lincoln MKZ, police said.
After hitting that car, the stolen Toyota 4-Runner crashed into a bus-stop shelter, where King was standing. After coming to a stop, the driver of the stolen car, as well as two other occupants of the car, fled on foot, officials said.
One of the occupants of the stolen car, a 16-year-old male, was stopped a short distance away and detained. The detained juvenile was transported to JCMC for treatment of minor injuries before being transported to the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office for questioning.
As of this writing, no charges have been filed against the juvenile, authorities said.
Meanwhile, the driver of the Lincoln MKZ sustained minor injuries in the crash. He was transported by Emergency Medical Services to Jersey City Medical Center where he was treated and released.
Suarez credited the newly formed Hudson County Regional Fatal Collision Unit with
the investigation and the arrest.
She also credited Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office detectives, the Jersey City Police Department, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, the Secaucus Police Department and the Maywood K-9 Unit for their assistance in the investigation.
The investigation is ongoing and anyone with additional information about the collision is asked to contact law enforcement at 201-915-1345 or to leave an anonymous tip on the Hudson County Prosecutor’s official website at: http://www.hudsoncountyprosecutorsofficenj.org/homicide-tip/.
All information will be kept confidential.
