5-Year-Old Seriously Injured in Fair Lawn Hit-And-Run; Driver Arrested

FAIR LAWN, N.J. — A mother was crossing Broadway with her 5-year-old son Tuesday morning when authorities say a driver struck them in a marked crosswalk — and then kept going.

The child was left with severe head injuries.

The crash happened around 6:30 a.m. near Broadway and Fair Lawn Parkway, a busy stretch of roadway where residents say crossing the street can already be difficult.

According to Bergen County authorities, 67-year-old Maritza Salazar-Perez, of Fair Lawn, was making a left turn from 32nd Street onto Broadway when she struck the 47-year-old mother and her son as they crossed Broadway.

Police say Salazar-Perez then left the scene.

The mother and child were rushed to Hackensack University Medical Center.

The mother suffered minor injuries. Her 5-year-old son suffered severe head injuries, according to authorities.

Salazar-Perez was located and arrested later Tuesday in a neighboring town.

She is now charged with knowingly leaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious bodily injury and endangering an injured victim, along with several motor vehicle offenses.

She was taken to the Bergen County Jail pending her first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court.

But the crash is also putting attention on something people who regularly travel through the area already know: crossing Broadway can be challenging.

Fair Lawn resident Marryellen Posdon said pedestrians have to look “twice, three times” because some drivers speed, try to beat the traffic light or make turns into nearby businesses.

And that's what makes Tuesday morning's crash especially difficult to hear about.

A mother and her young son were in the crosswalk when authorities say they were hit.

Now, a 5-year-old is recovering from serious injuries, a driver is facing criminal charges, and another New Jersey community is having a familiar conversation about pedestrian safety.

The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office and Fair Lawn Police Department are continuing to investigate.

For those who drive through this intersection regularly: Do you think Broadway and Fair Lawn Parkway is dangerous for pedestrians?