DWI Driver Charged In Hit-And-Run That Killed Fanwood Woman: UCPO

LINDEN, NJ — A man who had gone out drinking for his 39th birthday has been charged in the fatal hit-and-run crash of a beloved Fanwood woman and second grade Mountainside teacher.

Meghan Crilly died 11 days after she was hit while crossing the road with friends on Jan. 20. She was 35.

Authorities on Wednesday announced charges against Ibn Collins of Linden. He has been charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter, first-degree death by auto while driving while intoxicated within 1,000 feet of a school, second-degree hindering apprehension, and fourth-degree tampering with evidence, acting Union County Prosecutor Michael A. Monahan and Linden Police Chief David Hart jointly announced at a press conference.

An investigation by the Union County Homicide Task Force and the Linden Police Department Traffic Bureau determined Collins had been drinking in celebration of his birthday at a Kenilworth bar before driving back to Linden, where he hit Crilly.

Crilly, a second-grade teacher at Beechwood School in Mountainside, and three friends were crossing North Wood Avenue at its intersection with St. Georges Avenue (Route 27) when Collins hit her just before 2 a.m., said Union County Assistant Prosecutor Colleen Ruppert, who is prosecuting the case.

Collins did not slow down or stop after hitting Crilly with his Jeep, and instead continued through the intersection and fled the scene, police said.

He also tried to cover up the crime by using his job at a Westfield auto body shop to hide his vehicle after the accident, and also to repair any damage from the crash there, Monahan said.

Crilly went through multiple surgeries, was in a coma, had spinal damage, a broken pelvis, a broken ankle, and a broken tibia as a result of the crash. Her spleen had also been removed, her liver was lacerated, and she had internal bleeding, according a GoFundMe site created to support her.

Related: Community Rallies Around Hit-And-Run Fanwood Woman

Crilly's family made the heartbreaking decision to take her off of life support, and she was pronounced dead at a local hospital 11 days later.

"It's abundantly clear from the outpouring of support the victim’s family has received that Meghan was an extraordinarily beloved daughter, sister, friend, and teacher," Monahan said. "While this arrest doesn’t bring her back, we believe it is a first step toward securing the justice Meghan and her loved ones deserve."

Collins was arrested late Tuesday afternoon and lodged in the Union County Jail pending a first appearance and detention hearing, both tentatively scheduled for Monday. The State has filed a motion to have him detained prior to trial due to the seriousness of the charges and other factors.

Collins faces up to 30 years in state prison if convicted.

Anyone with information about this incident still is being urged to contact authorities; Sgt. Ho can be reached at 908-403-8271 and Detective Hartsfield is at 908-451-1873.

• See Related: Funeral Set For Fanwood Woman, Teacher Killed In Hit-And-Run
• Related: Fanwood Woman Dies As Search Continues For Hit-And-Run Driver
• Related: Family Of Beloved Fanwood Woman In Coma Face Tragic Decision
• Related: Community Rallies Around Hit-And-Run Fanwood Woman
• Related: Video Shows Jeep Wanted In Hit-And-Run Of Fanwood Woman
• Related: $10K Reward, New Video Released In Hit-And-Run Of Fanwood Woman
• Related: Fanwood Pedestrian Hit By Car, Hospitalized

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