By: Richard L. Smith
The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office has released new details surrounding a fatal collision in Newark that claimed the life of a juvenile pedestrian, identifying the Newark police sergeant involved in the events leading up to the crash.
The incident occurred Sunday evening, August 9, along Bloomfield Avenue.
According to information released by the Attorney General’s Office, shortly before 9 p.m., Newark Police Sgt. Xavier Pimentel was driving an unmarked police SUV westbound on Bloomfield Avenue when a sedan was observed traveling eastbound at a high rate of speed.
Authorities said Sgt. Pimentel made a U-turn near Parker Street and began following the sedan.
The sedan later struck a juvenile female pedestrian near the intersection of Bloomfield and Mount Prospect avenues before leaving the scene, according to the preliminary investigation.
Officials told RLS Media that Sgt. Pimentel stopped and rendered aid to the critically injured victim.
This statement contrasts with accounts provided by witnesses to RLS Media, who claimed the sergeant drove away from the scene.
Despite those efforts, she was pronounced dead at approximately 9:11 p.m.
Because the victim was a juvenile, authorities are withholding her identity but family of the victim identified the teen as Zakiyah Jones of Newark.
Two separate investigations are now underway.
The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office is investigating the driver of the sedan that struck the victim and fled, while the Attorney General’s Office of Public Integrity and Accountability is examining the circumstances surrounding the police encounter.
Authorities have not announced any charges or identified the driver of the sedan.
Under New Jersey law, the Attorney General’s Office investigates deaths that occur during encounters with law enforcement officers acting in their official capacity.
Those investigations are ultimately presented to a grand jury to determine whether the evidence supports criminal charges against any officer involved.
Both investigations remain active.