Police ask for help to find Bridgeton, NJ fatal hit-run suspect

BRIDGETON — A local man is dead after being hit by three cars and police are reaching out to the public to help find one driver who didn't stop.

Leonardo Sanchez-Salas, 34, was first struck by a dark-colored Dodge minivan on North Pearl Street on Monday night, witnesses told the Bridgeton police.

Officers responded to the intersection with Myrtle Street around 8:40 p.m. and found Sanchez-Salas lying in the road. He was taken to a hospital in Vineland and pronounced dead.

Police said that Sanchez-Salas was crossing the street, which has a painted crosswalk, when he was hit by the minivan. The vehicle headed south did not stop and left the struck pedestrian in the street.

Two other vehicles headed in the same direction then also hit Sanchez-Salas. However, the drivers of these vehicles both stopped at the scene and waited for police.

Investigators are reviewing surveillance footage from the scene and speaking to witnesses. A review of the video showed that the driver of the minivan was a Black male with a beard wearing a white shirt.

Police are asking anyone with information on the driver of the minivan, or the hit-and-run to contact Det. Tom Garofolo at 856-451-0033.

Dangerous street in Bridgeton?

This is at least the second hit-and-run along North Pearl Street this year. Another man was struck and seriously injured early on the morning of June 24.

Police said the vehicle responsible, a silver Chevy Equinox, was also headed southbound and hit the victim while making a left turn onto Irving Avenue. The intersection is a block away from Myrtle Street.

Rick Rickman is a reporter for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at richard.rickman@townsquaremedia.com

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