A 30-year-old man faces hit-and-run charges after three Cumberland County teenagers were struck on the shoulder of Main Street in the Cedarville section of Lawrence Township Saturday night, police said Sunday.
Eric Rodriguez was driving north on two-lane County Road 533 around 7 p.m. when his Jeep SUV veered onto the right shoulder of the two-lane road near mile marker 12, said Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron, a spokesman for the New Jersey State Police, which patrols the town.
The Jeep struck three male pedestrians: a 17-year-old man was seriously injured; A 15-year-old suffered “moderate” injuries; LeBlanc said another 15-year-old suffered minor injuries. He said the three were taken to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries, but did not specify the circumstances.
“After the impact, Rodriguez fled the scene before police arrived,” LeBlanc said in a statement. “Through various investigative techniques, Rodriguez was identified as the operator of the Jeep and was subsequently arrested.”
Rodriguez, who lives in the Cedarville area, was charged with three counts of assault by vehicle and two counts of leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident causing serious bodily injury. He has been released pending a court date, LeBlanc said.
Eric Rodriguez has an address on the town’s Main Street, but there is no listed phone number, so he cannot be reached.
LeBlanc said the incident remained under investigation Sunday.
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