A Union City teenager and his mother have been charged in a fatal crash that killed a Department of Public Works employee earlier this month, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
The 16-year-old male driver is charged as a juvenile with knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle collision and causing death while driving unlicensed, Suarez said in the statement.
His mother, a 37-year-old Union City woman, is charged with hindering and false reporting to a law enforcement officer. Both were arrested at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office in Secaucus on Friday, June 23rd and released pending their first court appearance.
Juvenile matters are confidential and therefore no additional information can be released at this time.
On Monday, June 5th, at approximately 7:36 a.m., the Union City Police Department was notified of a pedestrian struck in the area of Palisade Avenue and 36th Street.
Responding officers located a victim, later identified as Fortunato Rojas-Solis, 73, of Union City, with life threatening injuries. He was transported to Jersey City Medical Center and was pronounced dead at approximately 5:15 p.m.
The investigation determined Rojas-Solis was struck by a Dodge Durango operated by the 16- year-old teenager and that Rojas-Solis was working in his capacity as a Union City DPW employee at the time of the collision, authorities said.
