Crime & Safety
Man Arrested In Hit And Run Accident
The following information has been provided by the Livingston Police Department. It does not indicate a conviction.
Livingston police arrested a West Orange man for fleeing an April Fool’s Day hit-and-run accident and drug and alcohol charges.
David Demarzo, 34, was later arrested for driving under the influence, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia, possession of an open container of alcohol, leaving the scene of an accident, failure to report an accident, careless driving and reckless driving, Det. Sgt. Anthony Dippold said Monday.
At the time of his arrest, Demarzo allegedly refused to take a Breathalyzer test, Dippold said.
Police said the accident happened at around 2:40 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of East Mount Pleasant Avenue and Knollwood Drive when a West Orange woman stopped at a traffic light and a sports utility vehicle crashed into the back of her car.
Demarzo allegedly continued driving the SUV onto East Sherbrooke Parkway and Audubon Road, despite losing the front left tire of his car, Dippold said. Witnesses told police the man then left the car, allegedly threw a beer bottle into the bushes and ran behind homes.
Police were able to follow a trail of accident debris and scrape marks from the SUV to locate the vehicle and the driver, Dippold said.
Inside Demarzo’s car, police allegedly found an open bottle of beer, a bottle of whiskey, a small bag of marijuana and some cigarette papers in the vehicle, according to Dippold.
Following his arrest, Demarzo was later released on his own recognizance to a relative.
The woman involved in the accident was taken to Saint Barnabas Medical Center for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, police said.
Demarzo is due in Livingston municipal court on Thursday.
