Crime & Safety
Bergen Man In Hit-And-Run Crash Dies: Brother
Giovanni Rivera, 42, was hit by an SUV in Garfield Monday night, his family said. Authorities are looking for the vehicle.
A Bergen County man who was critically injured in a hit-and-run crash Monday in Garfield has died, his brother said.
Tom Rivera posted on Facebook early Wednesday morning that his brother, Giovanni, 42, died in his sleep at 4:01 a.m. Wednesday.
"Gio decided to go in his sleep to save his mother to make the dreadful decision," Tom Rivera said. "My brother knew that decision [would] play over and over in our mother's head."
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Tom Rivera said the family was scheduled to take Giovanni off of life support Wednesday, NJ.com reported. Tom Rivera could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday afternoon.
Facebook users left messages of support on a post Tom Rivera made about his brother's death.
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"I hope and pray you and your family get justice and closure," said Monique Bauer Burns.
Giovanni was struck Monday night in front of the group home for the disabled he lived at on MacArthur Avenue, ABC7 reported.
The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office received a report shortly after 7 p.m. Monday that a man was hit in front of 465 MacArthur Ave., acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo stated in a news release.
Police found Giovanni sustained serious injuries. He was treated at the scene and later taken to Hackensack University Medical Center, Calo said.
Evidence at the scene and surveillance video recovered in the area indicate that the vehicle at hit Giovanni was a dark-colored, 1992-1999 Chevy Suburban, Calo said. The vehicle is missing the passenger side-view mirror and has possible damage of the right side of the bumper, hood, and windshield. It went northbound on MacArthur Avenue after the hit-and-run.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit at 201-226-5595 or the Garfield Police Department at 973-478-8500.
"We need all your support so this doesn't happen to another family. My brother will always be with me in spirit," Tom Rivera said. "His memories will be always remembered. #Justiceforgio"
Video of the dark-colored SUV that allegedly hit Giovanni Rivera Monday night outside a Garfield group home he lived at. (Bergen County Prosecutor's Office)
Email: daniel.hubbard@patch.com
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