It happened just before 4 p.m. at the Milltown Acme on Ryders Lane, where 62-year-old Nayyar Khan had just completed her shopping.
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Authorities say she was struck and dragged by a van, which then stopped, backed up onto her, and sped off.
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The driver drove into the oncoming traffic exit lane, ran the red the light, and fled the area by heading into East Brunswick via Ryders Lane and Tices Lane.
Khan is currently in the hospital with numerous serious injuries, including a broken hip and broken bones in her knee and foot, but she is expected to survive, though with a long recovery and many surgeries ahead of her.
Her brother, Mazhar "Mark" Khan, spoke with Eyewitness News and said his sister had a four-hour surgery Thursday and is in the ICU at Robert Wood Johnson Hospital with a metal plate and screws in her hip.
"It was a terrifying experience, it was heartache," he said. "The driver realized that he had run over a woman that was under this heavy van, so he backed out, so he backed out, he never came out, and he took off and was gone."
Police release a photo of the van, described as an older bright red utility van, possibly a Ford, with no side windows.
The van was described as having matte black trim and wheels, a heavy duty push bumper or winch on the front, and subdued decals on the upper back panels of the van.
It is very possible that the decals are black subdued American Flag decals 1' x 2' approximate sizing.
Even though police have no idea who was behind the wheel, Khan's brother says she has already forgiven the person who could've killed her and didn't stop to help.
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"She is a very forgiving person, and she wants to move on, personally, I mean," he said. "It is very devastating."
She faces at least a month of no walking and another six months of skin grafting and recovery time.
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The family says finding out who was behind the wheel could help them heal.
"I think he should come forward, contact police, be responsible for his actions," Mazhar Khan said.
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Police are hoping someone knows who the van belongs to and where it is kept.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Milltown Police Detective Bureau:
--Det. Lieutenant Chris Johnson: 732-828-2100 ext 132 or cjohnson@milltownpd.org
--Det. Sergeant William Fama: 732-828-2100 ext 133 or wfama@milltownpd.org
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