Edison Man Charged In Fatal Hit-And-Run In Kearny

EDISON, NJ — An Edison man has been arrested after allegedly killing a pedestrian in a hit-and-run accident in Kearny, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said.

Niraj Patel, 21, was charged with leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in death after the early morning Saturday crash, Suarez said.

At 1:55 a.m., Patel allegedly struck a pedestrian on Old Lincoln Highway (Rts. 1 & 9) in Kearney and drove away. A second driver, who was not named or charged, "inadvertently" drove over the man shortly after; that man stayed on the scene, Suarez said.

The pedestrian, identified as 30-year-old Naphtali Dykes of East Orange, was pronounced dead at 2:20 a.m. He had just been released from the Hudson County Correctional Center earlier that morning.

Edison Police assisted with arresting Patel.

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