70-Year-Old Pedestrian Dies In Hackettstown Hit-And-Run Crash: Police

HACKETTSTOWN, A 25-year-old Hackettstown resident has been charged in connection with a hit-and-run death that killed a 70-year-old pedestrian, authorities said.

The crash, which occurred at around 7:30 a.m. on Reese Avenue near First Avenue, claimed a 70-year-old pedestrian, later identified as Jeanne Picariello Murphy of Hackettstown, police said.

Murphy was transported to Hackettstown Medical Center and later flown to Morristown Medical Center where she was pronounced dead on Jan. 8 at noon.

The driver of the striking vehicle, Jefferson Chimbo-Pelaez, 25, also of Hackettstown, was charged in connection with the pedestrian death, although the specific charge was not made public by Hackettstown police as of Tuesday morning.

Chimbo-Pelaez is currently lodged in the Warren County Correctional Facility.

The investigation remains ongoing, police said.