Driver Charged With Causing Fatal Parkway Crash In Clark: Police

CLARK, NJ — A driver is charged after police say he caused a fatal two-car crash on the Garden State Parkway early Monday morning and then tried to cover up his role in it, acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo announced Wednesday.

Ronaldo Godwin, 43, of Newark is charged with second-degree death by auto and second-degree witness tampering in connection with the death of 46-year-old Christopher Meikle of East Orange, said Ruotolo.

Just before 2:45 a.m. on Monday, Godwin was speeding south on the Garden State Parkway in a Range Rover when he hit the back of a Lexus ES driven by Meikle in the area of milepost 136.3 in Clark, according to police. Read More: 1 Dead, Car Ignites Into Flames In Garden State Parkway Crash

The crash caused Meikle to slam into the center median barrier and became engulfed in flames and Godwin's SUV to overturn on the shoulder, said police.

When a Good Samaritan pulled over to help, police say Godwin asked the Good Samaritan to drive him away from the crash while indicating that he was prepared to offer an unspecified reward in exchange, according to an investigation involving members of the State Police and the Union County Homicide Task Force.

Meikle was rushed to RWJ University Hospital in Rahway, where he was pronounced dead at around 3:35 a.m., while Godwin was taken to University Hospital in Newark for emergency treatment.

Godwin has since been released from the hospital and was taken to the Union County Jail pending a first appearance and detention hearing scheduled to take place in Union County Superior Court.

Godwin could face up to 20 years in state prison on his charges.

"I would like to commend the hard work of our Homicide Task Force and our partners at the New Jersey State Police, under the leadership of Colonel Patrick J. Callahan, which allowed us to quickly bring charges in this terrible incident," acting Prosecutor Ruotolo said.

Anyone with information about this matter is urged to contact New Jersey State Police Detective Nagib Saad at 732-441-4500, Ext. 3434, or Task Force Sgt. Danika Ramos at 908-451-7739.

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