Woman, 87, Hit By Car In Middlesex Boro, Freed By Police And Passersby

MIDDLESEX, NJ — An 87-year-old woman was hit by a car Tuesday afternoon in Middlesex borough and five people passing by jumped in to free her from underneath the vehicle, according to Middlesex Police.

At 12:12 p.m. Tuesday, Middlesex Police received a 911 call reporting that a pedestrian had been struck by a car near the Middlesex Post Office on Hawthorne Avenue.

Officer Paul Steffanelli, Officer Jamie Marczak and Officer Colin DeVincenzo arrived to find the victim, an 87-year-old woman, lying in the roadway, trapped underneath the vehicle. The officers, with the assistance of five Good Samaritans who jumped into action, were able to lift the vehicle and free the victim from beneath.

The elderly woman sustained injuries to her hips and pelvis and was treated by emergency medical personnel and paramedics from Robert Wood Johnson EMS, who later transported her to RWJ University Hospital, New Brunswick.

No charges were filed against the driver, in what appears to be an accident. This comes the same week the neighboring borough of Highland Park announced a major initiative this fall to keep streets safe for pedestrians and people on bikes.

“The quick response of our officers and the selfless efforts of the bystanders brought timely aid to the pedestrian victim," said Middlesex Chief of Police Matthew Geist. "As always, we encourage our motoring public to drive with caution and be aware of pedestrians and cyclists around our shops and businesses. There is no time this is more evident than during the return to school of our Middlesex students.”

Chief Geist encouraged anyone with information on yesterday’s crash to contact Sergeant Mark Melchiorre at (732) 356-1900 ext. 338.