An Elizabeth man is charged with death by auto after killing a pedestrian in Linden, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace H. Park and Linden Police Chief Jonathan Parham jointly announced Friday.
Eduardo Perez, 33, of Elizabeth is additionally charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident in connection with the death of 23-year-old Mujahid Henry of Newark.
At approximately 12:30 a.m. on Friday, Linden Police Department patrol units responded to the 1200 block of East Linden Avenue on a report of a motor vehicle crash.
An investigation led by the Linden Police Department Accident Investigation Team determined that a 2007 Ford Escape traveling eastbound at that location struck Henry, who was thrown into a nearby parked car and pronounced dead at the scene.
The investigation, which is being assisted by the Prosecutor’s Office’s Homicide Task Force, Union County Police Department Fatal Accident Reconstruction Team, and Union County Sheriff’s Office Identification Unit, determined that Perez then drove into Elizabeth, where he abandoned the SUV on the 700 block of Lidgerwood Avenue after colliding with several parked vehicles.
Perez was located by Elizabeth Police Department patrol units on nearby Kenneth Avenue moments later and arrested.
This incident remains under investigation, and anyone with information is being urged to contact Linden Police Department Investigator Ian Conk at 908-474-8505.
These criminal charges are mere accusations. Each defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.