A beloved New Jersey great-grandmother was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver blocks from her home, and her family is pleading for help finding the person who mowed her down.
Ernesta Fernandez, 77, was crossing Centre Street in Nutley at around noon Saturday when she was hit, police said. A dark van, possibly a Ford Econoline, was seen speeding away from the scene.
Son Sal Hernandez said he wants closure amid the grief of losing his mother, and for "this guy who did this to get caught."
Fernandez, a grandmother of eight and great-grandmother of three, was a retired hairdresser who was often seen walking around the area, visiting neighbors and volunteering at charities.
She often volunteered to do hair at local medical centers, her family said.
Neighbors have been approaching Fernandez's sons, "telling us what a great lady she was," said Al Hernandez, who was with brother Sal as they walked the streets Monday searching for leads.
"Think if it was your mother, how you'd be feeling," said Hernandez.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Nutley police.
