NJ driver charged in deadly pedestrian Route 22 hit-and-run

⚠️ A 56-year-old Brooklyn man was killed after being struck on Route 22 in Watchung.

➡️ Police say the SUV driver left the scene and later hid the vehicle's damaged parts.

🔴 A 32-year-old Piscataway man faces charges and remains jailed pending a court hearing.

WATCHUNG — A 32-year-old Piscataway driver is accused of hitting and killing a pedestrian along Route 22 without stopping at the scene over the weekend.

Daniel Cole was arrested and charged with second-degree knowingly leaving the scene of an accident which resulted in death and third-degree hindering apprehension.

The pedestrian killed was a 56-year-old man from Brooklyn, New York, whose full identity was pending notification of family, Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said.

Police say surveillance captured the deadly hit-and-run

Just after 4 a.m. Saturday, Watchung Police were called about a pedestrian struck along Route 22 West near Mountain Avenue.

They recovered the victim and launched an investigation into the hit-and-run.

Surveillance footage from cameras at a local rental storage space showed the 2015 Nissan Pathfinder registered to Cole hitting the victim, sending him onto the SUV, according to an affidavit filed by investigators.

As the Nissan applied its brakes, the victim fell off the front and the Pathfinder swerved around the body and kept driving.

Shortly after, the Nissan is seen on different cameras pulling into the nearby Watchung Square Mall shopping complex, just as its front bumper and license plate fall off, the affidavit said.

Police say driver hid the bumper and license plate

Police said Cole is seen getting out and picking up the bumper and plate and stashing them in the SUV’s back seat, before then driving off.

That same day, police arrived at Cole’s residence and found his heavily damaged Pathfinder.

Cole was being held in Somerset County Jail, pending a court hearing on the case.

Anyone with information on the investigation was urged to contact the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office at 908-231-7100 or the Watchung Police Department at 908-756-3663 or via the STOPit app.

Information can also be provided through the Somerset County Tip Line at 1-888-577-TIPS (8477) or SCPO.TIPS.

These 31 convicted killers were pardoned by Gov. Murphy

In a one year span, Gov. Phil Murphy granted clemency to over 283 individuals convicted of various crimes. Of those, at least 31 have been pardoned and released early from state prison after they were convicted of murder and aggravated manslaughter. After release, each person is subject to five years of parole supervision.

Gallery Credit: Rick Rickman

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