Official Calls For Change After Car Hits Pedestrian In Montclair

MONTCLAIR, NJ — A county commissioner with longtime ties to Montclair says he’s “disturbed” after the town’s latest car-pedestrian strike, which took place earlier this week.

Essex County At-Large Commissioner Brendan Gill, a lifelong Montclair resident, is among the people who say there’s a need for change when it comes to speed reduction and traffic calming in the town’s residential areas.

The latest incident took place on Monday, when a car struck a pedestrian at 1:06 p.m. at the intersection of Upper Mountain Avenue and Normal Avenue.

The Montclair Police Department released the following statement about the incident:

“Preliminary investigation showed that a 2017 GMC Acadia, being operated by a 39-year-old female from Little Falls, was traveling southbound on Upper Mountain Avenue. At the intersection of Normal Avenue, she had a green light and was making a left hand turn onto Normal Avenue to travel eastbound. While making the turn, she struck a 45-year-old female from Bloomfield, who was crossing Normal Avenue (from north to south) in the crosswalk.”

Montclair police said the pedestrian suffered an abrasion to the right side of her head and complained of pain to her head, left leg, right arm and back.

Montclair Ambulance Unit # 24 and EMS-1 evaluated the injured pedestrian at the scene, then transported her to St Joseph's Hospital for treatment.

The driver was issued as summons for failing to yield to a pedestrian in the crosswalk, police said.

In the wake of Monday’s collision, Gill said he was “very disturbed to learn another pedestrian/resident was involved in a traffic accident.”

“Above all, I am hoping that they are okay and wishing them a speedy recovery from injuries sustained,” Gill said. “As a commissioner and township resident myself, I share the concerns of our constituents and I am working closely with the Township of Montclair and the Essex County Executive on this issue.”

“Furthermore, I wholeheartedly support the recommendations of the constituents, which promote speed reduction and traffic calming interventions,” Gill added, saying that he plans to encourage county executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. to adopt those ideas.

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