West Haven Man Killed In Crash Was ‘Loved & Cherished’ By Many

WEST HAVEN, CT — The community is rallying around the family of a West Haven man who was killed in a hit-and-run crash last week in New Haven.

Nader “Nick” Hanania, 63, died at the hospital on July 10 after being struck by another driver that went through a red light at the intersection of College Street and South Frontage Road in New Haven, according to police.

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help assist Hanania’s family with his funeral expenses.

“He was the father of two boys and was a very kind, hardworking, gentle man who would give you the shirt off his back,” according to a post on the GoFundMe page, which was organized by Christine Stewart. “He loved everyone and is loved and cherished by so many.”

Stewart wrote that Hanania was working early Wednesday morning (July 10) on his route as a medical courier for Lab Logistics.

Police said video showed that a Hyundai Accent was traveling on College Street from MLK Boulevard. As the Hyundai began to enter the intersection of South Frontage Road and College Street, a Toyota Supra, which was driving south on South Frontage Road, went through the red traffic control signal and collided with the passenger-side of the Hyundai, according to police.

The driver of the Toyota left the scene, police said.

Hanania was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries and later died, according to police.

Stewart wrote that it was Hanania’s wishes that if “anything happened to him that he would be flown home to his country to be buried with his parents.”

“We want to do everything we can to give Nick the proper burial that he deserved and wanted,” she wrote.

More than $8,500 has been raised within the first two days of the GoFundMe campaign, as of Tuesday evening.

For more information, or to make a donation, visit the GoFundMe page here.