Chatham BOE Rep With Suspended License Struck Fire Hydrant, Left Scene: Cops

A Chatham Township resident and Board of Education representative was hit with a slew of summonses after he allegedly struck a fire hydrant while driving in Chatham Borough and fled the scene, police said.

On Nov. 13 at 2:25 p.m. police investigated a hit and run accident in the area of 151 Fairmount Avenue where a vehicle ran off the road and struck a fire hydrant, knocking it off its base, police said.

Pieces of the vehicle were found at the scene, including a tag with the vehicle’s identification number, police said. Using the VIN, police traced the vehicle to a 2014 Honda belonging to John Nonnenmacher of Chatham Township, police said.

The vehicle was then found parked outside a business at 10 Fairmount Avenue with damage consistent with the accident, police said.

Police contacted Nonnenmacher who admitted he swerved off the road to avoid squirrels, police said, and that he realized he hit something but didn’t know it was a fire hydrant.

Nonnenmacher was issued summonses for leaving the scene of an accident, failure to report an accident, driving while suspended, and careless driving.