A 62-year-old Newark man was crossing McCarter Highway at Edison Place on Sunday evening when the traffic light turned green and a black pickup truck struck him, knocking him into the roadway before the driver sped off onto Market Street. James Edward Kolla was rushed to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:11 p.m. Now a 28-year-old Belleville man is facing felony charges in connection with his death.
Mickael Esteban Barrionuevo Medina was charged with second-degree leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death and third-degree endangering an injured victim, according to Daily Voice, which reported that the charges were announced by Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II and Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda. Medina later surrendered to Newark police, the outlet reported. The collision happened at approximately 7:44 p.m. Sunday at the intersection of McCarter Highway, also known as Route 21, and Edison Place in downtown Newark, according to RLS Media.
A Crosswalk Steps From Newark's Biggest Venues
Kolla was taken to University Hospital. The Prudential Center is two blocks from Newark Penn Station. Sports and concert fans can use transit and rideshare access in the area.
Pedestrian safety remains a concern. In September 2023, state and municipal leaders broke ground on the Mulberry Commons Pedestrian Bridge over Route 21 near Edison Place, a project intended to let pedestrians bypass high-speed traffic while connecting the Ironbound neighborhood to downtown Newark, according to Patch.
Second Fatal Crash On The Corridor In Weeks
Sunday's death was not the only fatal incident on McCarter Highway in recent weeks. Less than a month earlier, on September 19, Newark police responded to another fatal crash along the highway near Chester Avenue, where an overturned vehicle left a male driver dead, according to News 12 New Jersey. Pedestrian fatalities remain a concern nationwide.
What Medina Is Facing In Court
Medina faces a second-degree charge of leaving the scene of a fatal accident. He also faces a third-degree charge of endangering an injured victim.
Authorities are asking anyone with information about the crash to call the Essex County Prosecutor's Office confidential tip line at 1-877-847-7432, according to Daily Voice's reporting. It remains unclear whether speed or impairment played a role in the collision, and the precise timing of the crosswalk signal has not been detailed beyond the account that the light was turning green as Kolla crossed.
