By: Richard L. Smith
A Piscataway man has been arrested in connection with a deadly hit-and-run that claimed the life of a pedestrian early Saturday morning in Watchung.
According to information released by the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office, Watchung Police were called to Route 22 West near Mountain Avenue at approximately 4:05 a.m. on August 22 after receiving a report of a pedestrian struck in the roadway.
Officers found a 56-year-old Brooklyn, New York man suffering injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle.
He was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said the driver had fled before police arrived.
An investigation involving the Somerset County Collision Analysis Reconstruction Team, the Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and Watchung Police eventually identified 32-year-old Daniel Cole of Piscataway as the alleged driver.
Detectives later located a Nissan Pathfinder at Cole’s residence that authorities said had heavy front-end damage consistent with a collision.
Cole was taken into custody at his home without incident and charged with second-degree knowingly leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and third-degree hindering apprehension.
He was lodged in the Somerset County Jail pending a court hearing.
Authorities said the investigation remains active as detectives await autopsy results and additional findings from the collision reconstruction team.