South River, NJ – Update: Man Arrested for Fatal Hit-and-Run of Teen Bicyclist at Whitehead & Russell Ave

South River, NJ – Update: Man Arrested for Fatal Hit-and-Run of Teen Bicyclist at Whitehead & Russell Ave

South River, NJ (July 10, 2023) – Authorities have now identified a man in connection with a fatal hit-and-run that claimed the life of a teenage boy last Friday afternoon, July 7th. The deadly incident was reported at the intersection of Whitehead and Russell Avenues in the village of South River in Middlesex County.

According to police officials, a 14-year-old boy was riding a bike at or near the intersection around 4:20 p.m. when he was struck by a white van that fled the area. The incident was captured on video by a neighbor’s security camera. The neighbor stated that the boy was obviously still alive after the initial impact but that the van stepped on the gas and ran him over.

Emergency crews were immediately dispatched to the scene, where they performed CPR on the young teen. They eventually transported the boy to a nearby hospital. He was pronounced deceased a short time later.

Now, police officials say that they have located the driver of the van, identified as 63-year-old Michael Arena of South River. He is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center while the investigation remains ongoing.

No further details are available at this time.

We would like to offer our deepest condolences to the loved ones of the boy who lost his life in this incident. Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected by this tragedy.

Fatal Auto-Bicycle Collisions in New Jersey

South River, NJ – Update: man Arrested for Fatal Hit-and-Run of Teen Bicyclist at Whitehead & Russell Ave

Hundreds and even thousands of people suffer severe injuries in pedestrian collisions, such as auto-bicycle accidents, in the state of New Jersey every year. Despite the strict laws in place to protect pedestrians in New Jersey, we still see cyclists injured and killed at an alarming rate due to the negligent and reckless actions of other people.

Although it’s nice to think that most people sharing our roads are responsible and careful motorists, this, of course, is not always true. Sadly, distracted driving, alcohol or drug impairment, and other reckless driver actions account for around 80% of all traffic-related collisions. These crashes frequently leave victims with devastating injuries that require extensive care and hospitalization for days, weeks, or even months.

While treatment options are available, many accident victims are left permanently impaired and forced to deal with never-ending mental, physical, and financial consequences. When someone is hurt or, worse, losses their life due to a preventable collision, it is important that the victim or their family members take immediate action to secure their legal rights. Reaching out to a bicycle accident attorney in New Jersey as soon as possible is vital. Working with a skilled personal injury legal team is your best chance to recover your financial losses after being involved in an accident.

Our New Jersey bicycle accident attorneys at Metro Law have more than forty years of experience assisting those who have been detrimentally affected by the actions of another party. Contact our law firm at (800) 469-6476 today to meet with our wrongful death attorneys in New Jersey and discuss your legal options moving forward.