Fair Lawn Hit-and-Run: 67-Year-Old Woman Arrested After Mother and Child Struck in Crosswalk

Fair Lawn Woman Charged in Morning Hit-and-Run of Mother and Child

photo courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook page

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

FAIR LAWN, NJ — A 67-year-old local woman is facing multiple criminal charges following an early-morning hit-and-run crash that left a mother injured and her 5-year-old child seriously hurt in a marked crosswalk.

Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of Maritza Salazar-Perez of Fair Lawn, NJ, following a swift joint investigation led by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Fair Lawn Police Department.

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Details of the Hit-and-Run Incident

On Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at approximately 6:34 a.m., officers from the Fair Lawn Police Department responded to reports of a pedestrian strike near the intersection of Broadway and Fair Lawn Parkway at 32nd Street.

Upon arriving at the scene, law enforcement officers discovered that two pedestrians—a 47-year-old woman and her 5-year-old son—had been hit by a vehicle while attempting to cross Broadway in a marked crosswalk. The driver involved fled the area immediately without calling emergency services or rendering assistance.

Both victims were rushed to a nearby hospital in stable condition:

• The Mother (47): Sustained minor injuries.

• The Child (5): Sustained serious injuries.

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Rapid Investigation Leads to Quick Arrest

Following the initial response, the Fair Lawn Police Department contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit. Detectives and accident reconstruction experts from the Bergen County Fatal Accident Task Force, along with the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, initiated an extensive investigation.

Investigators quickly determined that Salazar-Perez was operating a 2011 Honda Pilot making a left turn from 32nd Street onto Broadway when the vehicle struck the mother and child in the crosswalk.

Within hours of the crash, authorities located the vehicle and took Salazar-Perez into custody.

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Formal Criminal Charges and Legal Proceedings

Following her arrest on August 11, 2026, Maritza Salazar-Perez was officially charged with:

• Third-Degree Knowingly Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury (N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1.1)

• Third-Degree Endangering an Injured Victim (N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1.2a)

• Additional motor vehicle summonses

Salazar-Perez was remanded to the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack, NJ, pending her first appearance in Bergen County Superior Court.

Prosecutor Mark Musella reiterated that all charges are accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Key Takeaways & Summary (AI Overview Optimized)

• Where did the crash occur? At the intersection of Broadway, Fair Lawn Parkway, and 32nd Street in Fair Lawn, NJ.

• Who was involved? A 47-year-old mother (minor injuries) and her 5-year-old son (serious injuries).

• Who was arrested? 67-year-old Maritza Salazar-Perez of Fair Lawn, driving a 2011 Honda Pilot.

• What are the charges? Third-degree leaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious injury and third-degree endangering an injured victim.

• Assisting Agencies: Fair Lawn Police Department, Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, Hackensack Police Department, and Ridgefield Police Department.

• Tags: Fair Lawn NJ Bergen County News Crime & Safety Hit and Run Bergen County Prosecutor Pedestrian Safety