Fugitive Driver Hits Two People At N.J. Christmas Parade: Cops

A fugitive driver was arrested after he struck two N.J. pedestrians at a Christmas Parade, police said.

The incidents happened prior to the start of a Rotary Club’s 34th Annual Christmas Parade, police said.

Police received a report that two pedestrians had been struck by a motor vehicle in the vicinity of Bayshore Road and Pontaxit Avenue, in the North Cape May section of Lower Township.

Upon arriving on scene, officers found a female victim lying in the middle of Bayshore Road, as well as a male victim clinging to a utility pole, police said.

Both victims were treated on scene by members of the Lower Township Rescue Squad. Ultimately, the female was flown to the Atlantic City Medical Center for her injuries, while the male was transported to Cape Regional Medical Center, police said.

Both the female and male victims are residents of North Cape May. The investigation revealed the driver of the vehicle, 45-year-old Michael A. Morelli, a cook who resides in the 300 block of Preston Avenue in Wildwood Crest, was traveling northbound on Bayshore Road in the area Pontaxit Avenue, police said.

He struck the female victim and continued on for several yards before striking the second victim.

Two passengers in the vehicle, 23-year-old Frank J. Richardson of Cape May Court House, and 20-year-old Vanessa L. Edmondson of Villas, fled the scene of the accident on foot. They later returned and were questioned by police.

Morelli was found to be a fugitive from justice for felony escape from the state of Tennessee. He was also wanted out of Hammonton for failure to appear in court. He was charged criminally with two counts of leaving the scene of an accident, which resulted in serious bodily injury and for being a fugitive from justice, police said

He was issued motor vehicle summonses for reckless driving, driving while suspended, and failure to report an accident, police said.

Awaiting extradition back to Tennessee, Morelli was placed in the Cape May County Correctional Facility in default of $250,000 full cash bail set by Superior Court Judge Nelson Johnson.

Richardson was found to have a warrant out of Middle Township for failure to appear in court. He was arrested, processed and released from the Lower Township Police Department after posting bail. Both Richardson and Edmonson were also issued motor vehicle summonses for failure to report a motor vehicle accident and leaving the scene of an accident, police said.

Both victims of the crash were stable at the time of this release.

This investigation was completed by Patrolman Robert Fessler, Patrolman Jason Felsing, and Patrolman Jennifer Anzelone.