A 75-year-old Montclair man, who was struck by a motor vehicle on Valley Rd. near Walnut St. at 6:17 a.m. this morning, has died.
The driver of the vehicle was a 27-year-old Montclair woman, according to Montclair Police Captain Kenneth Miscia, Uniform and Traffic Commander. The pedestrian was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital Trauma Center where he succumbed to his injuries. Miscia adds that the accident is under investigation by the Montclair Police Traffic Bureau and the Essex County Prosecutors Office.
The pedestrian was John Donovan, 75, of Montclair, according to Katherine Carter, public information officer for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.
Last October, Arlene Linetsky, 64 was struck by a vehicle on Bloomfield Avenue and died from injuries.
On April 24, a pedestrian was hit at the intersection of Grove Street and Gordonhurst while in the crosswalk. On March 28, a pedestrian was hit at Grove and Walnut Streets in Montclair.
are we going to learn if there are any charges? If the poor guy was in the crosswalk this could definitely be vehicular manslaughter. also failure to yield… reckless driving… Honestly part of why drivers care so little about pedestrians is if they end up hitting someone, they get away with it scot-free the vast majority of the time.
Way to jump to conclusions without knowing ANY of the facts with that reply.
There are crosswalks at that intersection: https://goo.gl/maps/f8590.
But even if the pedestrian was in the crosswalk, the driver is unlikely to face more than if it were just a car accident.
No other details can be released yet other than what is in the post above, because the incident is under investigation which is usual for a fatality.
The article states that the pedestrian was on Valley Road NEAR Walnut Street. That doesn’t necessarily mean he was in the crosswalk. And from what I’ve seen around here the pedestrians could use a few lessons in how to safely cross the streets as well as correctly learning all that is in that law. For example, it is the duty of the pedestrian to first make sure the way is clear for them to safely cross the street BEFORE entering the crosswalk!!! I very rarely see pedestrians in this area doing that, most just step out into the street without even looking and assume that the cars will stop for them. (I’m not at all implying that is what happened in this case, just frustrated that everyone is so quick to blame the drivers).
You are implying this you ahole. You think pedestrians are jumping in the street to take a charge like in basketball?
I was on I-280 at about that time (6.15-6.30am).
The road conditions were awful a mile or two from the scene, with driving rain, wind, and fog. The lightning came later.
FWIW I suspect the road conditions, lack of visibility, perhaps less visible clothing on the victim, maybe oncoming headlights, etc contributed to a very sad result. I’m sure the police officers on the road at that time experienced similar conditions.
My condolences to Mr Donovan’s family.
Mountainside’s right around the corner BUT they had to go to St. Joe’s because it’s a trauma center? There might have been less TRAUMA if they got him to MNTNSDE STAT!
Go figure.
rukidding has a valid point. I have had many experiences, particularly on Bloomfield avenue, of people unassumingly walking out into the crosswalk expecting all motion around them to suddenly stop (since thats the law, right?). Even worse, people standing on the yellow line on Bloomfield Ave trying to dodge between traffic to cross mid-block. Sometimes, the pedestrians are paying less attention than the drivers. There’s not enough information known in this article to blame anyone, so its all speculation.
We can’t be sure of the details- we are sure that the pedestrian died. Condolences to his family and RIP – lets wait for more details before we start talking about the accident.
BARISTANET- any word on more details?
So sad the pedestrian died…and sad for the driver, who has to live with the knowledge that her actions resulted in a life being taken, even if the situation was out of her control.
The reason I said something about the speed is because everyone goes so fast around here, that if you stop for a pedestrian, you have to pray that the people behind you don’t crash into you. How many pedestrians have been hit in Montclair over the past few years? It seems like a lot even though we hear talk of “Safe Streets” in Montclair. Drivers and pedestrians need a lot more encouragement to use care in following the speed limits and for crossing the roads before they will really be “safe”.
Paz. The reason they went to st joes is because it is a trauma hospital. Mountainside cannot handle traumatic injuries. A trauma center has emergency surgery staff on site, a community hospital like mountainside does not have those resources. Also the trauma happens right away, there wouldn’t be “less trauma” because they went to a closer hospital.
Griswold, you are right. Mountainside is anything BUT a trauma hospital, and the trauma had already occurred. And Paz, now is not the time to debate the merits of one hospital over another. We should be thinking about the victim’s family.
Who’s to blame? Look in the mirror. It’s really shocking that so many posters are looking for convenient ways to blame pedestrians for their own misfortunes. In the bargain between drivers and pedestrians, the onus is on drivers–wheeling around in their metal and glass encasements–to look out for pedestrians and be mindful of the safety of fellow drivers. Frankly, that doesn’t happen a lot around here.
I think drivers in this area are delusional and lack any real perspective on the poor quality of driving in northern New Jersey. I moved here from the Washington, D.C. area four years ago and very quickly came to understand why my car insurance company raised my rate by a considerable amount when we called to give them our new address.
There are more accidents here. Sure, New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the country. But the fact is, YOU drive too fast. The warm and welcoming spirit of this town goes out the window when YOU get behind the wheel. YOU are selfish and inconsiderate drivers.
You know I’m right. How many times have you driven the speed limit up Grove St. only to be honked at because the people behind you think you’re moving too slowly? How many times has a courteous driver stopped *at a crosswalk* to let you cross the street only to see a car screeching around them from behind and almost hit you as you walk? How many times have you seen drivers take a right-on-red *without stopping* first? How many times have you seen drivers take a left turn like they’re at the Indy raceway, cutting into the *oncoming* lane to save a few feet of driving distance on the turn? All of this, and more, happens regularly.
We don’t know the circumstances of this latest incident, but here’s something everyone should be aware of: Speed kills.
There’s a reason the maximum speed limit in residential areas is 35 miles per hour or less. It’s because the risk that a struck pedestrian will be severely injured (or killed) greatly increases if the offending car is going faster than 35. See here. (https://www.aaafoundation.org/sites/default/files/2011PedestrianRiskVsSpeed.pdf)
So, the message to everyone: Slow the #%^$& down! And be a courteous driver.
Almost a year in California. People in cars stop for people in crosswalks and allow them to cross the entire street before proceeding. So far, I have followed this rule and no one has honked at me yet. WHAT IS WRONG WITH THAT PICTURE? Sometimes the Freeways resemble the GSP (without the tolls, of course), and since we live near the University there are lots of rich kids taking all sorts of chances with mommy’s BMW, but I guess in a land where according to legend no one walks anywhere, they do respoect those pedestrians who do.
As for Jersey, too many rats in the maze with too many autos and no patience. Recipe for disasters like this one.
Yes Frob, we all just don’t have your sensitivity. Mea culpa. I will pray to the higher beings to grant me that gene.
Of course, I understand the meaning of trauma center but in such a dense, unforgiving area called North Jersey, there should be a trauma center in every hospital.
Specialization has its drawbacks.
We can all agree to the fact that there are jerks who speed through town. You should see the traffic that comes flying up Orange Rd. and Harrison Ave from the Oranges. They don’t care if a nanny is in the crosswalk with three children. On the other hand, many of the pedestrians in town most certainly do lunge right out without looking. They do it on blind corners and some seem to time it just as a car is coming around the corner with other cars pressuring it to get out of their way.
When I cross at a crosswalk in town, I stand there sometimes for minutes, waiting for the right moment where I won’t cause an accident or endanger myself. I have consideration for those behind the wheel and those who are passengers just as I do for those who are walking or driving around me when I am behind the wheel. As a walker and a driver, I empathize and do both defensively. From my observation over the years, I am in the minority. There are some people who are driving too fast, and if they see you step into the crosswalk, they actually accelerate – often downhill on Walnut St..
Then you have the issue of walking in the street. The entire stretch of Elm St between Llewellyn & Union today had groups and individuals walking in both directions on the street and in the bike lanes. The sidewalks seem to go unused. On Bloomfield ave, there are some people who cross in the middle of the road and do so slowly, spitefully, diagonally and with a confrontational attitude as they look right at you.
All that being said, I’ll never understand or relate to the irrational and aggressive NJ mob mentality that chants for people to be charged. You weren’t there. You don’t know how it happened. That could be your child or spouse or parent behind the wheel just as it could be the person hit in the street.
In Los Angeles, at least, the first thing you learn is not to jaywalk or cross unless the light is in your favor. The LAPD loves to issue those tickets to pedestrians. And they issue them by the bucket load. That’s always a conversation item with Angelenos in NYC.
Failure to yield to pedestrians in the cross walk is good for a substantial ticket there, as well. People become accustomed to doing the right thing.
Other than some highly publicized sting operations, I’m not aware that Montclair PD issues tickets for failure to yield to a pedestrian. I’d be interested to know how many FTY tickets were issued in April or March, if any.