An investigation has resulted in criminal charges against a Plainfield resident who ran a stop sign earlier this year, causing a collision that took the life of a pedestrian, and then fled the scene, acting Union County Prosecutor Michael A. Monahan and Plainfield Public Safety Director Carl Riley jointly announced Thursday.
Authorities charged Dominic Gomez, 23, with death by auto and leaving the scene of a fatal accident, both second-degree crimes, in connection with the death of 37-year-old Antonio Marquez-Melgar, also of Plainfield.
Officials say shortly before 7:30 p.m. on June 7th, members of the Union County Homicide Task Force and Plainfield Police Division responded to the area of Madison Avenue and West Eighth Street on a report of a motor vehicle accident, according to the investigation led by Prosecutor’s Office Detective Nicholas Falcicchio and Detective John Franklin of the Plainfield Police Division.
The investigation revealed that a white Kia sedan being driven by Gomez at the time ran a posted stop sign and collided with a Lexus in the intersection, spinning the Kia into Marquez-Melgar, killing him. Gomez then allegedly fled the scene.
Following witness interviews and the examination of forensic evidence, Union County Assistant Prosecutor Bruce Holmes earlier this week approved criminal charges against Gomez, who remains in custody pending a first appearance.
The Union County Sheriff’s Office’s Crime Scene Unit and Union County Police Department Fatal Accident Reconstruction Team also have assisted in this investigation.
Anyone with information about this matter still is being urged to contact Falcicchio at 908-721-8186 or the Plainfield Police Division Traffic Unit at 908-753-3360.
Convictions on second-degree offenses are commonly punishable by 5 to 10 years in state prison.
These criminal charges are mere accusations. Each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.