Police in Newark are continuing the search for the driver of a vehicle who fled the scene after striking a man and causing severe injuries in a section of Newark on Monday night.
According to police, Mr. Wendell (Karriem) Brunson, 61, of Avon Avenue in Newark was reportedly riding a bike in the vicinity of 694 South 17 Street when a speeding vehicle struck him and then left the scene.
Residents in the area told RLS Media that Mr. Brunson stayed on the ground for nearly 30 minutes waiting for EMS but never moved, nor was he able to speak.
During the evening, University Hospital EMS units appeared 'stretched thin' due multiple shootings and shots-fired incidents that gripped the city of Newark with nine individuals shot in a (24-hour time span) including a woman killed at the Bradley Court Housing project.
"I heard a loud sound outside my window and when I ran to the door to see what the noise was, I say the severely injured man on the ground with his eyes open but unresponsive. Several residents and I began to help the man by speaking and comforting him, but he was too hurt," a South 17th Street resident said.
When EMS arrived, they rushed Mr. Brunson to University Hospital, where his injuries were listed as life-threatening with multiple broken bones and a brain injury, according to his family.
According to South 17th Street residents, during the duration of the evening, several vehicles - they believe were stolen - sped recklessly through the neighborhood.
One of the cars that residents say was involved in racing through the neighborhood was a dark red Durango.
"There was no police chase happening, these guys do this all the time around here. They speed up and down the streets, just for the fun of it. This is the first time something like this has happened," residents said.
Mr. Brunson's family said University Hospital officials told them that doctors are monitoring his progress and the next 3-5 days are 'crucial.'
**UPDATE:** Mr. Brunson was hit by a white Jeep Cherokee (no license plate) around 8:30pm
The incident remains under investigation and the suspect is at-large.