Man arrested in hit-and-run that critically injured 9-year-old girl in Newark, NJ
NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) -- Police have arrested a man who was wanted in connection with a hit-and-run crash that critically injured a 9-year-old girl in Newark on Tuesday.
Sawab O. Williams, 51, of Newark, was charged with assault by auto and endangering an injured victim, police said.
It happened just after 7:30 a.m. at the intersection of Irvine Turner Boulevard and Spruce Street.
Eyewitness News spoke to the mother of the child who was hit. She is so grateful her daughter is alive but is angry someone would hit a child and then drive away.
Sharon Johnson and her three children were waiting to cross Spruce Street when she says all of a sudden she heard a loud noise.
"An SUV hit another car, I'm like oh snap he's gonna hit somebody," Johnson said.
Johnson says that after hitting the car, the driver quickly moved into the left turn lane as she and her children were already crossing the street.
That's when a Grey SUV slammed into her daughter, 9-year-old Cyncere.
"He was literally about this close and me and my toddler to move onto the sidewalk and by the time I looked from my left side for my other two I see my daughter underneath the car," Johnson said.
The driver of the SUV did not stop, but the camera that recorded the surveillance video is one of many cameras along the route the driver took.
At least two other drivers gave chase while Johnson tended to her injured daughter.
She was taken to University Hospital, where she is critical but stable.
"She has six fractures on her ribs on the left side and she has a slash in her liver," Johnson said.
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