the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Lyndhurst NJ, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of SAMUEL TORRES (DOB: 2/16/1983; single; unemployed) of 45 Washington Avenue, Nutley, New Jersey on charges of Leaving the Scene of a Motor Vehicle Accident Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, Possession of a Controlled Dangerous Substance, Hindering Apprehension, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Jason Love, and the Lyndhurst Police Department under the direction of Chief Richard L. Jarvis.
At approximately 9:55 p.m. on June 8, 2021, the Lyndhurst Police Department responded to a report of a motor vehicle accident near the intersection of Grant and Valley Brook Avenues. Upon arrival, officers located the victim, a 56-year-old female, lying on the side of the roadway with multiple serious injuries. She was transported to Hackensack University Medical Center for treatment where she remains in critical but stable condition.
Video recovered from the area of the collision indicated that the victim was struck by a silver sedan that fled the area.
A short time later, the Lyndhurst Police Department received a report of a carjacking. SAMUEL TORRES reported to the responding officers that he was assaulted and knocked unconscious. He stated that when he awoke, he was on the side of the road and his vehicle, a 2017 silver Toyota Camry, was missing. The ensuing investigation revealed that TORRES was operating his Toyota at the time of the hit and run collision, and that he fabricated the carjacking report in an effort to conceal the crime.
As a result of the investigation, SAMUEL TORRES was arrested on Wednesday, June 9, 2021 and charged with Leaving The Scene of A Motor Vehicle Accident Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1.1, a 3rd degree crime; Possession Of A Controlled Dangerous Substance, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:35-10a(1), a 3rd degree crime; Hindering Apprehension, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3b(1), a 4th degree crime; Hindering Apprehension, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3b(4), a 4th degree crime; and Possession Of Drug Paraphernalia, in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:36-2a, a disorderly persons offense. TORRES is scheduled for a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, New Jersey on Wednesday, June 23, 2021.
Prosecutor Musella states that the charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and he would also like to thank the Lyndhurst Police Department and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this investigation.
