By: Yuritza Arroyo
Bergen County authorities announced the arrest of Victor Diaz- Castaneda, 27, a real estate agent, of Paterson, for knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in death and endangering an injured victim.
According to Bergen County officials, the charges result from an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit under the direction of Chief Jason Love and the Garfield Police Department under the supervision of Chief Richard Uram.
Garfield Police say at approximately 8:51 p.m. on Tuesday, January 3, the officers responded to a 9-1-1 call reporting a hit-and-run crash involving a pedestrian that occurred on Outwater Lane in Garfield.
According to Police, the pedestrian, a 51-year-old Garfield resident identified as Shazia Faazal, was transported to Hackensack University Medical Center, where she was pronounced deceased due to injuries sustained during the collision.
An investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Garfield Police department revealed that a 2010 Honda Civic operated by Victor Diaz-Castaneda struck the victim as she crossed Outwater Lane, gravely injuring her, before subsequently fleeing the area before police arrived.
According to authorities, due to the investigation, on January 9, Victor Diaz-Castaneda was charged with second-degree knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in death and third-degree endangering an injured victim.
Authorities say Diaz-Castaneda was served with multiple motor-vehicle summonses for violations related to the hit-and-run crash.
Diaz-Castaneda was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack.