Jersey City Ward D Councilman Yousef Saleh is the first recent running mate of Councilman-at-Large Amy DeGise to weigh in on her July 19th hit-and-run, writing in an Instagram story “We should use this as an opportunity to make safer streets.”
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“I saw the video and I agree with everyone that Councilwoman DeGise should have stopped. Everyone has the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in a court of law,” he wrote.
“We should use this as an opportunity to make safer streets for pedestrians and cyclists, and better enforcement for our current traffic laws.”
Saleh and DeGise both successfully ran on Mayor Steven Fulop’s ticket in November.
The two council members who ran independently, Ward E Councilman James Solomon and Ward F Councilman Frank Gilmore, both called for DeGise’s resignation yesterday after CCTV footage of the incident was released, with Safe Streets JC and Bike JC following suit.
DeGise did not stop or appear to hit her brakes after she hit bicyclist Andrew Black, who seemingly ran a red light, at the intersection of Martin Luther King Drive and Forrest Street, the footage shows.
She has said little about the incident beyond that she is glad no one was seriously injured, declining to comment further due to her pending court case.