A 36-year-old Wanaque man is accused of running from a head-on crash on Lincoln Avenue in Hawthorne on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, only to be caught a short time later in neighboring Glen Rock. Kevin Wunk suffered a minor arm injury and was treated at the scene before his arrest, while the other driver involved was not hurt, and it turns out this is far from Wunk's first run-in with New Jersey courts.
Hawthorne Police Captain Robert King said Wunk was arrested following the crash on an outstanding warrant, according to DailyVoice.com. The outlet reports that Wunk fled on foot after the head-on collision before he was tracked down and captured in Glen Rock. Boyd A. Loving, identified as an incident photographer, reported that the other driver was not injured in the crash.
Court records reviewed by the outlet show Wunk has 15 pages of offenses listed in the New Jersey court system, a history that stretches back years and includes charges still working their way through the system. He was released on his own recognizance following Wednesday's arrest, and he was also released on his own recognizance in the 2024 case.
A Pattern of Recent Traffic Charges
Just weeks before this week's crash, Wunk was charged on Aug. 26 in Wanaque with operating a vehicle under the influence of liquor or drugs, careless driving, improper driving on a sidewalk, and a marked-lanes violation. Those cases are still pending, and the same report notes a court date has been listed for Oct. 12. Wunk was also cited on July 19 in Wanaque for driving with a suspended or revoked license or registration.
His record goes back further still. On July 13, 2023, Wunk faced a slate of charges in Hawthorne, including leaving the scene of an accident involving personal injury, failure to report an accident, reckless driving, careless driving, driving or parking an unregistered vehicle, and having no liability insurance. Court records list some of those 2023 matters as disposed, while others remain on a time-payment schedule, per the same outlet.
A 2024 Drug Arrest in Paterson
Wunk's brushes with law enforcement extend beyond the road. In June 2024, he was arrested for possession and distribution of crack cocaine and heroin after what investigators described as a hand-to-hand transaction in Paterson, according to a separate DailyVoice.com report. The Passaic County Sheriff's Office said it had been investigating the Wanaque resident throughout that month before the arrest led detectives to three additional suspects. Wunk was processed and later released on his own recognizance in that case as well.
What New Jersey Law Says About Leaving the Scene
New Jersey law is explicit about a driver's obligations after a crash involving injury. Under New Jersey Revised Statutes Section 39:4-129, reproduced by Justia, a driver knowingly involved in an accident resulting in injury or death must immediately stop at the scene. A conviction under that section can bring a fine of $2,500 to $5,000, up to 180 days in jail, or both. It remains unclear how this week's fleeing allegation against Wunk will factor into the pending charges already on his docket.
