Police have arrested a man with a suspended driver's license on charges of leaving the scene of an accident that killed a teenager on a bicycle in Paterson.
The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office alleges 34-year-old James Reinhardt of Paterson was driving north on Beech Street when he struck the 16-year-old at the Oak Street intersection on Monday night. The teen died at a hospital a short time later.
Relatives identified the teen as Javier Burgos, who was to turn 17 next week.
Reinhardt is charged with knowingly leaving the scene of a fatal accident, endangering an injured victim and causing death while driving on a suspended license.
It is not known if he has a lawyer who can comment on the charges.
Burgos' aunt, Natalia Quiles, said after the hit-and-run the boy was a "good, working child."
She added of the driver: "He's a coward for not stopping. He was only 16. Anybody would stop."
