Mother & Teenage Son Charged in Connection With Fatal Union City Collision

Three weeks after a male, senior citizen from Union City died following a vehicular crash, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office has charged a mother and son in connection with the June 5th incident.

Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez says a 16-year-old male driver is charged as a juvenile with knowingly leaving the scene of an accident and causing death while driving unlicensed . The juvenile’s mother, a 37-year-old Union City woman, is charged with hindering and false reporting to a law enforcement officer.

Mother and son were arrested at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office in Secaucus on Friday, June 23.  They were released pending their first court appearance.

Because juvenile matters are confidential, no additional information can be released at this time.

The details of the incident on June 5th took place as follows:

Prosecutor Suarez says at approximately 7:36 a.m., the Union City Police Department was notified of a pedestrian being struck in the area of Palisade Avenue and 36th Street. The male victim, who was later identified as 73-year old Fortunato Rojas-Solis of Union City, was found with life threatening injuries. He was transported to Jersey City Medical Center, but died of his injuries at approximately 5:15 p.m.

A subsequent investigation determined Rojas-Solis was struck by a Dodge Durango operated by the 16-year-old Union City male.  Rojas-Solis was working in his capacity as a Union City Department of Public Works employee at the time of the collision.

The above charges are merely accusations and the juvenile and defendant are presumed innocent until proven guilty.