Crime & Safety
UPDATE: Woman Charged In Hit-And-Run, Injuring 2 Boys At New Jersey School
UPDATE: Two children, 5 and 8 years old, were struck by a hit-and-run driver at a New Jersey school on Monday, police said.
A New Jersey woman has been arrested and charged with injuring two school boys and fleeing after striking them in a crosswalk in Sayreville this morning.
Margaret Cheheli, 36, of Sayreville was arrested and charged with two counts of aggravated assault and one count each of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash involving serious injury, endangering an injured victim by fleeing, and tampering with evidence by tossing her keys after stopping her car, according to the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office.
She remains in custody. Bail was set at $100,000.
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Cheheli was arrested and charged during an investigation by Sgt. John Bartlinski of the Sayreville Police Department and Detective Mark Morris of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office.
The two boys, ages 5 and 8, were walking to school and were in the crosswalk at Our Lady of Victories School on Main Street when they were struck at 7:48 a.m. by the woman, who was driving a 2015 Dodge Dart, according to authorities.
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Cheheli fled and abandoned her car. She was apprehended by police when they saw her walking on Main Street.
The boys, who are brothers, were taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. The 5-year-old boy remains hospitalized, His brother was treated and released.
The investigation is active and is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Sgt. Bartlinski of the Sayreville Police Department at (732) 727-4444, or Detective Morris of Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-4194.
Police say the driver went right past the crossing guard, even though the crossing guard was in the crosswalk holding up a stop sign.
The Sayreville police sent out a message to the community via Facebook:
"Thanks to two particularly amazing parents we were able to quickly identify and locate a suspect who is currently in our custody. Sgt. John Bartlinski of our Traffic Safety Bureau is conducting the investigation..
"A special thank you to OLV school nurse Mrs. Halmi who was the first one on scene to render aid to the little boy."
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