Fugitive Commits Hit-and-Run Prior to Christmas Parade

Pennsauken, NJ (Law Firm Newswire) January 25, 2016 – Prior to a Christmas parade that occurred in the North Cape May section of Lower Township, New Jersey, a fugitive hit and injured two persons, and then left the scene of the accident.

The accident occurred before 7 p.m. on Saturday, December 12, when the 34th yearly parade for the Lower Township Rotary Club took place.

The 45-year-old motorist, whose name is Michael Morelli, was driving north on Bayshore Road in the vicinity of Pontaxit Avenue when he struck a woman. He resumed driving for many more yards, at which point he struck a man. While the woman was airlifted to Atlantic City Medical Center, the man was transported to Cape Regional Medical Center. Both pedestrians were described as being in stable condition.

Prominent New Jersey personal injury attorneys Petrillo & Goldberg said, “In addition to any criminal charges he may face, the motorist may well be confronted with civil charges of negligence because it was his negligent behavior that caused the pedestrians to become injured.”

Morelli is a fugitive from justice for a felony in Tennessee. According to police, he is being charged with two counts of leaving the scene of an accident that caused severe bodily injury, and received summonses for reckless driving, driving with a suspended license and failure to report an accident. He also failed to appear in court in Hammonton, New Jersey, and is being held in county jail on $250,000 cash bail while he waits to be extradited back to Tennessee.

Two passengers who rode with Morelli left the scene of the accident on foot, but returned sometime later. One of the passengers was 23-year-old Frank Richardson of Middle Township, for whom there was a warrant for failure to appear in court. He was placed under arrest and released after he posted bail. Richardson and the other passenger, 20-year-old Vanessa Edmondson of Lower Township, were given summonses for failure to report a motor vehicle accident and fleeing the scene of an accident.

Learn more at http://www.petrilloandgoldberg.com/ Petrillo & Goldberg Law 6951 North Park Drive Pennsauken, NJ 08109 1333 Race Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 70 South Broad Street Woodbury, NJ 08096 Phone: 856-486-4343 Fax: 856:486-7979