By: Richard L. Smith
In a significant development learned by RLS Media this afternoon, Essex County authorities have arrested on March 1st Ms. Miajah I. Burton, a 33-year-old Newark resident, for her alleged involvement in a hit-and-run accident that left a high school cheerleader in critical condition.
The incident, first reported by RLS Media, which took place on the evening of February 4, 2024, has shaken the Central Ward community of Newark.
The victim, 18-year-old Ms. Chiara Jones, is currently battling for her life at University Hospital after suffering a severe head injury. Jones was struck by a vehicle, believed to be a dark-colored sedan, as she was crossing Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to reach an Uber shortly after getting off a school bus around 10 p.m.
Authorities are determining if the bus had on its emergency flashing light that would have made it safe for crossing.
The young cheerleader had just returned from a triumphant outing with her team, the "AHS Jags," at the Impact Cheer Challenge in Toms River, NJ, where their performance secured them a spot in a national championship competition in Florida.
Burton was apprehended after a thorough investigation led to an intensive search.
She faces multiple charges, including leaving the scene of an accident with serious bodily injuries, assault by auto, hindering apprehension, and filing a false police report.
The arrest brings a measure of relief to the community and the victim's family, who have been holding a vigil for Jones's recovery.
The Essex County Prosecutor's Office and the Crime Scene Investigations Bureau are continuing their investigation into the collision.
Eyewitnesses, including several parents who were present to pick up their children, provided critical details about the circumstances surrounding the tragic event.
As the legal process unfolds, the community's thoughts remain with Chiara Jones and her family during this difficult time, hoping for her recovery and justice in the wake of this devastating incident.
