A 5-year-old boy was seriously injured and his mother sustained minor injuries after they were struck while crossing Broadway in a marked crosswalk in Fair Lawn Tuesday morning. A 67-year-old Fair Lawn woman was arrested within hours of the crash, according to the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office.
The collision happened at approximately 6:34 a.m. on August 11 near Broadway and Fair Lawn Parkway at 32nd Street.
Mother and Son Struck in Crosswalk
According to Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella, a 47-year-old woman and her 5-year-old son were attempting to cross Broadway within a marked crosswalk when they were struck by a 2011 Honda Pilot.
Investigators said the SUV was making a left turn from 32nd Street onto Broadway when the collision occurred.
The driver allegedly left the scene without notifying police of her involvement.
Both pedestrians were taken to an area hospital in stable condition. Authorities said the mother suffered minor injuries, while her son sustained serious injuries.
Driver Located Within Hours
Fair Lawn Police notified the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit, prompting a joint investigation involving detectives and members of the Bergen County Fatal Accident Task Force.
Investigators located the Honda Pilot within hours of the crash.
Police subsequently arrested 67-year-old Maritza Salazar-Perez of Fair Lawn, who authorities identified as the driver of the vehicle.
Charges Filed
Salazar-Perez was charged with third-degree knowingly leaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious bodily injury and third-degree endangering an injured victim, along with related motor vehicle offenses.
She was taken to the Bergen County Jail pending her first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack.
The Bergen County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the investigation, along with members of the Hackensack and Ridgefield police departments participating in the Fatal Accident Task Force.
The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office emphasized that the charges are accusations and that Salazar-Perez is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Maritza Salazar-Perez of Fair Lawn
Sources:
Bergen County Prosecutor’s Offic