An unidentified man was the victim of a hit-and-run accident in front of a local grocery store in Rockaway Township, New Jersey, according to police reports. The crash occurred just before midnight on Feb. 23.
Officers responding to the emergency call found the man who was pronounced dead at the scene of the auto accident. Officials did not release his name, nor did they give any indication of when that information might be available. Police officers said that the man had injuries that matched those of someone who had been struck by a vehicle. A short time later, police responded to another area for a disabled vehicle. The vehicle had damage that was consistent with the earlier fatal hit-and-run accident.
Law enforcement officials arrested a 26-year-old man and charged him with the accident. He was charged with manslaughter, death by auto and knowingly leaving the scene of an accident resulting in a death. The officers also reported that he was behaving in a manner that led them to believe he was under the influence of alcohol, and that the driver had the odor of alcohol on his breath when they found him. They did not report whether he was injured as a result of the car accident.
The family of the man who died might consider seeking compensation for the wrongful death of their loved one. Compensation amounts could include medical costs that were charged as a direct result of the car accident as well as any income the man would have been likely to earn if he had survived the hit-and-run accident. A civil lawsuit does not require them to wait until the man is convicted of the criminal charges before they can file.
Source: NJ.com, “Man struck, killed pedestrian in Rockaway Township hit-and-run, prosecutor says“, Meghan Shapiro Hodgin, February 25, 2014