Kids Of Fatally Beaten Woodbridge Cab Driver Speak At Sentencing

ELIZABETH, NJ — The children of an Avenel man and livery driver, who was fatally beaten and driven over in Elizabeth, spoke out during the sentencing of the Union County man, acting Union County Prosecutor Michael A. Monahan announced.

Emmanuel John, 33, of Elizabeth was sentenced to 30 years in state prison for repeatedly assaulting the livery driver, Masood Imran, 45, of the Avenel section of Woodbridge following an argument over a dinged car door in the parking lot of a local strip mall in Elizabeth.

See Related: Man Convicted For Fatally Beating, Running Over Cab Driver

Imran's oldest son, 21, and oldest daughter, 18, both read statements into the record during Friday’s sentencing who described a "loving, dedicated, and hardworking father of four."

The children noted how Imran even paid for his own parents to emigrate from Pakistan to the United States and also would work 12- and 13-hour shifts to support his family despite having to undergo dialysis treatments multiple times a week.

“His happiness came from seeing me flourish and become the man I am today,” Ali Imran said.

The children also stated that while the family forgave John for taking their father away from them, they still sought justice.

John must serve a minimum of 85 percent of the first 22 years of that term under New Jersey’s No Early Release Act before a consecutive 8-year sentence can begin, according to the conditions set down Friday by state Superior Court Judge William A. Daniel.

At 4 p.m. on June 15, 2017, Elizabeth Police reported finding Imran unconscious and suffering from multiple injuries in the parking lot of the Dunkin' Donuts on U.S. Routes 1&9 near Woodruff Lane.

Imran was transported to University Hospital in Newark for treatment but never regained consciousness. He was pronounced dead at around 7:15 p.m. on Aug. 3, according to Union County Assistant Prosecutor Armando Suarez, who is prosecuting the case.

A police investigation found that an argument between John and Imran quickly escalated to violence, with John allegedly striking the Imran multiple times through his open car window and then also slamming Imran's vehicle's door into him several times, according to Isenhour.

Imran then stood behind John's car to take a cell phone photo of his license plate, but before he could, John allegedly quickly put his car into reverse, striking the Imran and throwing him to the ground before speeding away from the scene, according to Isenhour.

John was arrested several days later and lodged in the Union County Jail. The endangering charge was filed because a 16-month-old child was in the back seat of John's vehicle while the alleged assault took place.

John was convicted of first-degree aggravated manslaughter, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, and second-degree leaving the scene of a fatal accident following jury deliberations in November 2018 that spread over two days and a nearly month-long trial.

(Image via Union County Prosecutor's Office: Irman family)

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