North Jersey Hit-And-Run Ends In DWI Charge, List Of Traffic Offenses

HACKETTSTOWN, NJ — A Hackettstown driver was arrested this month after a hit-and-run caused a passenger to be injured, according to police.

On Oct. 1, around 5:45 p.m., Hackettstown police responded to a report of a hit-and-run incident near Grand Avenue and Route 46.

Police found that a 2022 Ford pickup truck had hit another car at the intersection and driven off. The collision injured a passenger in the victim's car, police said.

Moments later, police learned of “an erratic black Ford pickup truck” driving on Washington Street, and confirmed it to be the car responsible for the hit-and-run crash, authorities said.

Police soon found the truck pulling into the parking lot of River’s Edge Gardens Apartments on Mountain Avenue and stopped it.

Officials found that the driver, Eleazar J. Franco-Diaz, 25, of Hackettstown, had been drunkenly driving the truck, citing an odor of alcohol and spotting an open can of Michelob Ultra beer in the center console, police said.

Franco-Diaz was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving personal injury, making improper right turns, failure to report an accident, refusal to submit to a chemical test, open container of alcohol in a motor vehicle, failure to maintain lane, failure to possess a registration card, failure to possess an insurance card, driving while intoxicated, violation of the safety glass requirement, and reckless driving.

Franco-Diaz was later released to a family member to await court proceedings.