July 2015 Archives | Morristown, New Jersey Personal Injury Law Blog
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July 2015 Archives
YOUNG GIRL KILLED AND GRANDMOTHER AND BROTHER INJURED BY U.S. POSTAL SERVICE TRUCK
A young girl crossing the street with her grandmother was hit and killed by a mail truck on Rahway Avenue in Elizabeth. A two-year old child was being held by her grandmother as they crossed the street along with the girl’s 4-year-old brother. The accident remains under investigation, but witnesses state that the mail truck hit the family while in the street, causing the girl to fly out of her grandmother’s arms and into the street. She was taken to Trinitas Regional Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. The grandmother was taken to University Hospital in Newark, where she was reported to be in stable condition. The four-year-old was also injured, but no information was available on his condition. The postal worker was not injured.
REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW JERSEY STAR SUES LAWYER FOR MALPRACTICE
Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice – who last year pled guilty to financial fraud along with her husband Joe – has now sued her lawyer for legal malpractice, arguing that her lawyer’s actions put her in the “cross-hairs of federal prosecution and a prison cell” by filing documents that were inaccurate. Ms. Giudice, who is currently serving a 15-month sentence in prison for charges related to bank fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, and bankruptcy fraud, alleges that she would not be incarcerated if her lawyer, bankruptcy attorney James Kridel, had properly handled legal matters on her behalf. Ms. Giudice and her husband both pled guilty to the fraud charges in 2014, and Mr. Giudice will begin serving a 41-month prison sentence once her sentence is completed.
MONTCLAIR PERFUME FACTORY CITED FOR NUMEROUS WORKPLACE SAFETY VIOLATIONS
A Montclair perfume and cosmetics factory has come under fire recently for workplace safety issues as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the U.S. Department of Labor has released a report finding that the factory presents serious health and safety issues, including explosion hazards. OSHA’s investigation, which took place from January through July 2015, found that the company Contract Filling, Inc. routinely incorporates the use of 14,000 gallons of flammable liquids in its manufacturing process without providing proper safeguards, and proposed approximately $50,000 in fines against the company.
SEPARATE JET SKI ACCIDENTS INJURE THREE PEOPLE, KILL ONE NEW JERSEY RESIDENT
Three separate jet ski accidents involving New Jersey residents in the past few weeks have injured three and killed one other. In the first accident, a New Jersey man was jet skiing in Bogue Inlet in North Carolina when he fell off his jet ski. He attempted to get back on the jet ski, but waves two to four feet high prevented him from getting back on, and he eventually lost consciousness. The man’s brother-in-law attempted to keep the man’s head above water, and the Coast Guard showed up with a vessel to rescue the man, but attempt to revive the man was unsuccessful. In the second accident, two people were riding on the same jet ski on the Navesink River in Rumson when they hit a wake and the driver lost control. The driver of the jet ski suffered facial injuries and head trauma while the passenger suffered major lacerations. Finally, in the third accident, two jet skiers crashed into another in the water near John F. Kennedy Park in Somers Point. One of the jet skiers was taken to Shore Medical Center for treatment.
TEEN DRIVER CRASHES CAR INTO UTILITY POLE WHILE FRIEND IN CAR
A 17-year-old driver splintered a utility pole in a recent crash in Riverdale. The unnamed teen was driving downhill on Windbeam Road in the Morris County borough in his tan Jeep Grand Cherokee, along with a teenaged passenger. For reasons not yet disclosed by authorities, the driver lost control of the Jeep, struck a curb, hit a concrete retaining wall, and finally hit a utility pole with force sufficient to split the pole in half. The Jeep then rolled over, ultimately landing on its wheels. Jersey Central Power & Light, Verizon, and Optimum were called to remove the fallen wires and replace the destroyed utility pole, and power was temporarily out in the surrounding area while repairs could be made. Along the way, the Jeep also destroyed a neighboring flowerbed and fence. Neither the driver nor his passenger were injured in the crash. The driver was issued a summons by Riverdale Police for careless driving.
FAMILY OF THREE KILLED IN CRASH
A family of three was tragically killed in a three-car crash along Interstate 80 in Rockaway Township. Briana Mae Anderson, 21, her fiancé, Edward Russell Hitt, 24, and their 18-month-old daughter, Charlotte Reagan Hitt, all perished in the crash. The accident occurred at 1:40 a.m. on Saturday, July 11. The family of three were in town from Jeffersontown, KY, on their way back from visiting the neighborhood in which Anderson grew up in East Islip, NY. The family was riding in a 2004 Kia sedan, and were stopped in traffic at milepost 34.7, behind a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by K Santiago-Madera, 26, of Bronx, NY. Bhavuk Uppal, 22, of Mountain Lakes, was driving a 2014 Cadillac Escalade. He struck the Kia, which struck the Jeep, before the Cadillac ran off the right side of the roadway, overturning in the grass embankment. After the crash, the Kia caught fire, and the three family members were declared dead at the scene of the crash. Authorities later revealed that Anderson was 18 weeks’ pregnant at the time of the crash, a fact which her family only discovered via news reports of her death. Santiago-Madera and his passenger in the Jeep, Brandon Green, 32, were taken to Morristown Memorial Hospital with minor injuries.
TEENAGER KILLED IN ATV ACCIDENT
A 14-year-old girl was recently killed in an ATV accident in Burlington County. Aisha Lopez, of Vineland, New Jersey, was driving an ATV on a private dirt road when she collided with another rider, 27-year-old Jose Rentas. Lopez and Rentas were both airlifted to Atlanticare Regional Medical Facility from the scene of the accident in Washington Township. Lopez was pronounced dead upon arriving at the hospital. Rentas remains in critical condition, and has been transferred to Cooper University Hospital in Camden, New Jersey. Two other children were involved in the crash, but not seriously.
STAY SAFE WHILE RIDING A BIKE ON NEW JERSEY ROADS
Summer is a great time to get out on the bike and get some exercise. While doing so, it’s important to keep the safety of yourself and your loved ones at the front of your mind, and to take preventive measures to ensure that you remain unhurt while cycling.
DRUNK HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER KILLS WOMAN IN ACCIDENT
An accident on Mullica Hill Road in Glassboro has resulted in one fatality. A 46-year-old woman whose identity has not been made public was hit by a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado pickup near the intersection with Girard Road, near Rowan University. The Silverado was driven by Scott W. Jahnel, 46, of Pickerel, Wisconsin. Police are still investigating the incident, but they believe that the woman was Jahnel’s girlfriend, living with Jahnel in South Jersey for the summer while Jahnel worked a temporary construction job. In the moments preceding the crash, the woman was pushed, fell, or jumped out of the moving truck. Investigators estimate that the woman was hit at approximately 50 mph, though the speed limit in that area was 35 mph. Jahnel fled the area immediately after the accident, but eventually reported the incident to police and returned to the scene. Jahnel is being held in jail in lieu of $100,000 cash bail, and the current charges being filed against him include fleeing the scene of a fatal accident, endangering an injured victim, and driving while intoxicated.
YOUNG BOY KILLED IN BOATING ACCIDENT IN LAKE HOPATCONG
A 10-year-old from Mount Arlington has been killed after falling off a boat being driven by his dad. Christopher D’Amico, Jr. of Mount Arlington was riding on a 20-foot pontoon boat that his father had rented for a trip with his family. The boat was in the Byram Cove section of Lake Hopatcong when Christopher slipped off and was struck by the boat. While Christopher was evacuated by helicopter to Morristown Medical Center, he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving. D’Amico’s organs were donated to eight other children, including a child dying of cancer and two children who will use his eyes to see. While police reported to the accident scene and the Morris County Prosecutor was notified of the accident, no charges have at this point been filed.
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60 Washington Street, Suite 302
Morristown,
NJ
07960
Phone:
973-292-0016
Fax:
973-292-9168
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July 2015 Archives
YOUNG GIRL KILLED AND GRANDMOTHER AND BROTHER INJURED BY U.S. POSTAL SERVICE TRUCK
A young girl crossing the street with her grandmother was hit and killed by a mail truck on Rahway Avenue in Elizabeth. A two-year old child was being held by her grandmother as they crossed the street along with the girl’s 4-year-old brother. The accident remains under investigation, but witnesses state that the mail truck hit the family while in the street, causing the girl to fly out of her grandmother’s arms and into the street. She was taken to Trinitas Regional Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. The grandmother was taken to University Hospital in Newark, where she was reported to be in stable condition. The four-year-old was also injured, but no information was available on his condition. The postal worker was not injured.
REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW JERSEY STAR SUES LAWYER FOR MALPRACTICE
Real Housewives of New Jersey star Teresa Giudice – who last year pled guilty to financial fraud along with her husband Joe – has now sued her lawyer for legal malpractice, arguing that her lawyer’s actions put her in the “cross-hairs of federal prosecution and a prison cell” by filing documents that were inaccurate. Ms. Giudice, who is currently serving a 15-month sentence in prison for charges related to bank fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, and bankruptcy fraud, alleges that she would not be incarcerated if her lawyer, bankruptcy attorney James Kridel, had properly handled legal matters on her behalf. Ms. Giudice and her husband both pled guilty to the fraud charges in 2014, and Mr. Giudice will begin serving a 41-month prison sentence once her sentence is completed.
MONTCLAIR PERFUME FACTORY CITED FOR NUMEROUS WORKPLACE SAFETY VIOLATIONS
A Montclair perfume and cosmetics factory has come under fire recently for workplace safety issues as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the U.S. Department of Labor has released a report finding that the factory presents serious health and safety issues, including explosion hazards. OSHA’s investigation, which took place from January through July 2015, found that the company Contract Filling, Inc. routinely incorporates the use of 14,000 gallons of flammable liquids in its manufacturing process without providing proper safeguards, and proposed approximately $50,000 in fines against the company.
SEPARATE JET SKI ACCIDENTS INJURE THREE PEOPLE, KILL ONE NEW JERSEY RESIDENT
Three separate jet ski accidents involving New Jersey residents in the past few weeks have injured three and killed one other. In the first accident, a New Jersey man was jet skiing in Bogue Inlet in North Carolina when he fell off his jet ski. He attempted to get back on the jet ski, but waves two to four feet high prevented him from getting back on, and he eventually lost consciousness. The man’s brother-in-law attempted to keep the man’s head above water, and the Coast Guard showed up with a vessel to rescue the man, but attempt to revive the man was unsuccessful. In the second accident, two people were riding on the same jet ski on the Navesink River in Rumson when they hit a wake and the driver lost control. The driver of the jet ski suffered facial injuries and head trauma while the passenger suffered major lacerations. Finally, in the third accident, two jet skiers crashed into another in the water near John F. Kennedy Park in Somers Point. One of the jet skiers was taken to Shore Medical Center for treatment.
TEEN DRIVER CRASHES CAR INTO UTILITY POLE WHILE FRIEND IN CAR
A 17-year-old driver splintered a utility pole in a recent crash in Riverdale. The unnamed teen was driving downhill on Windbeam Road in the Morris County borough in his tan Jeep Grand Cherokee, along with a teenaged passenger. For reasons not yet disclosed by authorities, the driver lost control of the Jeep, struck a curb, hit a concrete retaining wall, and finally hit a utility pole with force sufficient to split the pole in half. The Jeep then rolled over, ultimately landing on its wheels. Jersey Central Power & Light, Verizon, and Optimum were called to remove the fallen wires and replace the destroyed utility pole, and power was temporarily out in the surrounding area while repairs could be made. Along the way, the Jeep also destroyed a neighboring flowerbed and fence. Neither the driver nor his passenger were injured in the crash. The driver was issued a summons by Riverdale Police for careless driving.
FAMILY OF THREE KILLED IN CRASH
A family of three was tragically killed in a three-car crash along Interstate 80 in Rockaway Township. Briana Mae Anderson, 21, her fiancé, Edward Russell Hitt, 24, and their 18-month-old daughter, Charlotte Reagan Hitt, all perished in the crash. The accident occurred at 1:40 a.m. on Saturday, July 11. The family of three were in town from Jeffersontown, KY, on their way back from visiting the neighborhood in which Anderson grew up in East Islip, NY. The family was riding in a 2004 Kia sedan, and were stopped in traffic at milepost 34.7, behind a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by K Santiago-Madera, 26, of Bronx, NY. Bhavuk Uppal, 22, of Mountain Lakes, was driving a 2014 Cadillac Escalade. He struck the Kia, which struck the Jeep, before the Cadillac ran off the right side of the roadway, overturning in the grass embankment. After the crash, the Kia caught fire, and the three family members were declared dead at the scene of the crash. Authorities later revealed that Anderson was 18 weeks’ pregnant at the time of the crash, a fact which her family only discovered via news reports of her death. Santiago-Madera and his passenger in the Jeep, Brandon Green, 32, were taken to Morristown Memorial Hospital with minor injuries.
TEENAGER KILLED IN ATV ACCIDENT
A 14-year-old girl was recently killed in an ATV accident in Burlington County. Aisha Lopez, of Vineland, New Jersey, was driving an ATV on a private dirt road when she collided with another rider, 27-year-old Jose Rentas. Lopez and Rentas were both airlifted to Atlanticare Regional Medical Facility from the scene of the accident in Washington Township. Lopez was pronounced dead upon arriving at the hospital. Rentas remains in critical condition, and has been transferred to Cooper University Hospital in Camden, New Jersey. Two other children were involved in the crash, but not seriously.
STAY SAFE WHILE RIDING A BIKE ON NEW JERSEY ROADS
Summer is a great time to get out on the bike and get some exercise. While doing so, it’s important to keep the safety of yourself and your loved ones at the front of your mind, and to take preventive measures to ensure that you remain unhurt while cycling.
DRUNK HIT-AND-RUN DRIVER KILLS WOMAN IN ACCIDENT
An accident on Mullica Hill Road in Glassboro has resulted in one fatality. A 46-year-old woman whose identity has not been made public was hit by a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado pickup near the intersection with Girard Road, near Rowan University. The Silverado was driven by Scott W. Jahnel, 46, of Pickerel, Wisconsin. Police are still investigating the incident, but they believe that the woman was Jahnel’s girlfriend, living with Jahnel in South Jersey for the summer while Jahnel worked a temporary construction job. In the moments preceding the crash, the woman was pushed, fell, or jumped out of the moving truck. Investigators estimate that the woman was hit at approximately 50 mph, though the speed limit in that area was 35 mph. Jahnel fled the area immediately after the accident, but eventually reported the incident to police and returned to the scene. Jahnel is being held in jail in lieu of $100,000 cash bail, and the current charges being filed against him include fleeing the scene of a fatal accident, endangering an injured victim, and driving while intoxicated.
YOUNG BOY KILLED IN BOATING ACCIDENT IN LAKE HOPATCONG
A 10-year-old from Mount Arlington has been killed after falling off a boat being driven by his dad. Christopher D’Amico, Jr. of Mount Arlington was riding on a 20-foot pontoon boat that his father had rented for a trip with his family. The boat was in the Byram Cove section of Lake Hopatcong when Christopher slipped off and was struck by the boat. While Christopher was evacuated by helicopter to Morristown Medical Center, he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving. D’Amico’s organs were donated to eight other children, including a child dying of cancer and two children who will use his eyes to see. While police reported to the accident scene and the Morris County Prosecutor was notified of the accident, no charges have at this point been filed.
Have A Question
Bold labels are required.
Smith & Gaynor, LLC
60 Washington Street, Suite 302
Morristown,
NJ
07960
Phone:
973-292-0016
Fax:
973-292-9168
Morristown Law Office Map