Hamilton Township Man Struck by SUV, Killed in Fatal Pedestrian Accident

A Hamilton NJ man standing outside his home was tragically killed after being struck by an out-of-control SUV.

The fatal auto accident went down a short time before 8:00 p.m. outside a residence located on Edinburg Road in Hamilton Township, NJ. The victim had stepped outside his house in order to take out the trash. As he was walking through his driveway and headed toward the sidewalk where he could place a trash bag, a 2004 Toyota Sequoia reportedly crashed into him. The driver of the Toyota SUV was traveling west on the roadway when he struggled to navigate a sharp curve and lost control of his vehicle.

The Toyota careened off the side of a house, knocked down a mailbox, plowed through some bushes, and then slammed into the victim. The vehicle continued moving forward after hitting the victim, ultimately coming to a stop when it reached the home’s front porch.

A next-door neighbor heard sounds of the car accident and rushed outside to see what had caused the commotion. Smoke billowed through the air, so the neighbor went to his porch, got a fire extinguisher, and ran toward the victim’s house.

Emergency medical responders soon arrived in the neighborhood, but they could not save him; he was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim was 53 years old at the time of the fatal pedestrian accident. He reportedly lived at the Edinburg Road residence with his parents and took care of them.

The motorist accused of hitting the victim is a 40-year-old resident of Lambertville, New Jersey. He sustained minor injuries in the car crash and required hospitalization.

According to media reports on the fatal auto accident, people who live in the neighborhood where the crash occurred have previously complained to local law enforcement about motorists speeding on Edinburg Road. The fear among at least some neighborhood residents is that pedestrians are being put at risk every time a car barrels down the road and fails to slow down prior to hitting the curve.

The Hamilton Township Police Department is investigating the auto accident and attempting to determine whether the driver of the SUV was at fault. At this time, the driver has not been cited for any moving violations such as speeding or reckless driving. Additionally, the driver has not been charged with Driving While Intoxicated (DWI).

Regardless of the outcome of the police investigation, the victim’s parents may be able to file a wrongful death claim against the SUV driver. That’s because a person who acts negligently or carelessly and causes another individual’s death can potentially be held liable in a wrongful death action.

For more information, access the following article: Man taking out trash killed by SUV that veered off road