A Lyndhurst man was killed last Friday, Dec. 20, after being hit by a car in the township.
Police said the mishap was apparently unavoidable and have not charged the driver.
Police said Ralph Currid, 68, was crossing Valley Brook Ave., southbound, west of the Lincoln Ave. intersection, shortly after 5 p.m. when he was struck by a 2011 Chevrolet, registered to Lab Corp. of America, of Clifton, and driven west on Valley Brook by Thomas Hodupski, 62, of Clifton.
Hodupski told police that he didn’t see the pedestrian enter the roadway until contact was made. Police said the victim’s dark clothing and low light conditions may have factored into the accident.
Police said they responded to a 9-1-1 call of a pedestrian hit at the intersection and, upon arriving at 5:10 p.m., found the victim, conscious at the time, lying in the eastbound lane of Valley Brook, in front of 420 Valley Brook.
North Arlington Volunteer Emergency Squad, along with paramedics, rushed Currid to Hackensack University Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 9:12 p.m., police said.
In other incidents logged during the past week by Lyndhurst P.D.:
Dec. 17
Police arrested Gilbert Violante, 55, of Lyndhurst, on charges of possession of a weapon and violating state law forbidding certain persons to be in possession of a weapon.
Police said Violante is a convicted sex offender and, as such, isn’t permitted to have a weapon.
According to Det. Capt. John Valente, the U.S. Postal Service’s suspicions were aroused over a package being delivered to Violante from a Texas town near the Mexican border and, when that package was opened, it was found to contain an unloaded .22 caliber handgun.
Valente said postal inspectors got permission to open the package after conferring with law enforcement authorities.
Valente said an investigation revealed that Violante had made a “friend” on Facebook and asked that person, a girl, to send him the gun and the girl did so. That person hasn’t been charged in connection with the incident, he said.
Records of the Florida Dept. of Law Enforcement show that Violante was found guilty of a sex offense committed on an under-age female in May 2006 in Florida.
It’s unclear how Violante intended to make use of the weapon.
Violante was ordered held at the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack after failing to post bail of $20,000 with no 10% cash option, Valente said.
Dec. 16
At 10:47 p.m., police responded to the ShopRite on New York Ave. on a report of an unruly person who, according to store security personnel, was arguing with customers and wouldn’t leave. Police said Joseph Estolero, 25, of Lyndhurst, appeared to be under the influence. He was charged with a disorderly person offense and taken to Hackensack University Medical Center for observation.
Dec. 14
At 6:06 p.m., police said they pulled over Joseph Ban, 47, of Lyndhurst, as he was driving a 2006 Chevrolet in an erratic manner, swerving across lanes and nearly striking parked cars at Delafield and Court Aves. Ban was ticketed on charges of DWI, refusal to take an Alcotest, careless driving and driving on the revoked list. He was released, pending a court appearance, to a responsible party, police said.
At 12:37 a.m., police responded to a call of a possible breakin at Gelone’s Restaurant in the 600 block of Ridge Road. A person inside the building told officers they heard stomping on the basement doors and heard the sound of glass shattering. Investigating, they found the front window broken. Police said they have no suspects at this time.
– Ron Leir
