Ruth Benjamin Killed in Newark Hit-and-Run Accident
The out-of-control pickup truck jumped the curb and smashed into a laundromat before the driver fled the scene on foot
Ruth Benjamin, 81, of Newark, was killed in a hit-and-run pedestrian accident when a speeding pickup truck struck her and crashed into a laundromat at the Ivy Hill Shopping Plaza in Newark, New Jersey, on Monday, police said.
The weather was clear. The out-of-control truck jumped the curb, struck the woman on the sidewalk, and slammed a parked car into the building's facade. Surveillance video captured the driver fleeing the scene on foot immediately after the collision.
Benjamin was pronounced dead following the crash. Investigators are searching for the driver of the pickup truck, who witnesses reported was speeding through the parking lot before losing control.
The shopping plaza is typically crowded with families and pedestrians visiting local businesses. The crash remains under investigation, and no arrests have been announced.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding is a factor in nearly one-third of all traffic death nationwide. Police have not released a detailed description of the hit-and-run suspect.
Why was the pickup truck speeding through the Ivy Hill Shopping Plaza?
The sudden impact of a speeding vehicle in a busy commercial area leaves victims and their families facing immense physical and emotional burdens. Investigators will analyze tire marks and surveillance video from the Newark laundromat to determine how fast the pickup was driving when it jumped the curb. National Legal Analyst Andrew Finkelstein, Attorney at Jacoby & Meyers"People who get into an auto accident suffer unimaginable consequences in the form of mental and physical pain."
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, speeding significantly reduces a driver's ability to steer safely around pedestrians and increases how serious injuries upon impact. Speeding is a factor in nearly one-third of all traffic crashes nationwide.
What happens when a driver flees a pedestrian collision in Newark?
When a drivers abandons a crash scene, it complicates the immediate investigation and delays justice for the injured party. Finkelstein has handled pedestrian accident cases across multiple jurisdictions and has observed recurring patterns in how these crashes unfold.
While police search for the driver who fled the Ivy Hill Shopping Plaza, investigators will examine the abandoned pickup truck for physical evidence. Under New Jersey law, individuals injured due to another party's negligence may be entitled to seek compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
New Jersey personal injury framework
New Jersey follows a modified comparative fault (51% bar) system with a no-fault PIP auto insurance framework. The statute of limitations is 2 years.
Under New Jersey's no-fault system, PIP benefits cover medical expenses. To pursue a liability claim against an at-fault driver, injuries generally must meet the 'verbal threshold' of serious injury unless the policyholder elected the 'no limitation on lawsuit' option.