Union County Man Sentenced For 2020 Fatal Hit-And-Run

ELIZABETH, NJ — An Elizabeth man was sentenced on Thursday to 11 years in state prison for fatally hitting a woman in Elizabeth and fleeing the scene in 2020, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel, Elizabeth Police Director Earl Graves, and Elizabeth Police Chief Giacomo Sacca announced Friday.

Union County Superior Court Judge Candido Rodriguez Jr. sentenced Hassan Kennedy, 32, to 8 years in State Prison for second-degree leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, to run consecutively to a 3-year sentence for second-degree vehicular homicide.

Kennedy must serve at least 85 percent of the Vehicular Homicide sentence before being eligible for parole.

At around 12:30 a.m. on Aug. 20, 2020, Elizabeth Police Officers went to the Oakwood Apartment Complex in Elizabeth on reports of a pedestrian hit by a vehicle.

Upon arrival, they found the victim, Janaya Bailey, age 22, who was taken to a local area hospital and later died from her injuries.

According to Assistant Prosecutor Melissa Capparuva, who prosecuted the case, it was revealed that at the time of the accident, Kennedy entered his vehicle, which was backed into a parking spot at the Oakwood Apartment Complex. Kennedy then pulled out of the parking spot, hitting Bailey, and proceeded to leave the scene of the accident.

Witness statements and surveillance video from the scene ultimately led detectives to Kennedy.

"We are grateful for the hard work of Assistant Prosecutor Melissa Capparuva and Homicide Task Force Detective Jennifer Smith on this case," said Union County Prosecutor Daniel. "I hope this sentencing can bring some relief to those mourning Ms. Bailey."

Have a news tip? Email alexis.tarrazi@patch.com.