BREAKING NEWS: EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS & VIDEO: Hit and Run Driver Who Severely Injured Chaveirim Member Arrested & Charged after Vehicle is Located

FIRST REPORT: EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS & VIDEO [UPDATED 10:35 PM] Police moments ago arrested the man suspected of striking a Chaveirim member in the Hit and Run incident last Saturday evening.

A family member of the victim searching for the vehicle spotted the possible match to the Chevy Astro van parked in the rear of an East 5th Street home. The man questioned someone outside the residence regarding the damage to the vehicle, and was told it was involved in a crash last week. Police were called.

Upon arrival, officers Nate Reyes and Michael Ruiz determined the damage to be consistent with the damage described by Traffic & Safety Officers.

The Officers reached out for Traffic & Safety who also determined the vehicle to match the one described. It was indeed a light-colored blue 1993 Chevy Astro. As seen in the photos, the small piece of the passenger side bumper, was missing. That piece was found at the scene that night.

East 5th Street is just a few block away from Somerset Avenue, where the accident occurred.

CIU and the Prosecutor’s office responded to the scene as well.

After questioning the suspect, Silvestre Hernendez-Rugerio, 34, he was taken into Police Headquarters for further interviewing, as FIRST REPORTED BY TLS ON OUR NEWS ALERTS EARLIER. He was arrested a short time ago. 

Sergeant Frank Work tells TLS, Hernendez-Rugerio, who admitted to the crash, is being charged with Leaving the Scene of an accident which caused serious bodily harm, driving while unlicensed, failure to report a motor vehicle crash, and using a cell phone while operating a vehicle. Bail was set at $75,000.

“It’s a good team effort, everybody came together in the community, and here we are with an arrest,”says Sergeant Work. “We’re very happy about it.”

ICE is being contacted as well, to determine if he is a legal citizen, Work says.

Last night, Police and Crossing Guards braced the cold weather and spent several hours handing out fliers to motorists, in an effort to spread the awareness of the search and in hopes of gathering information.

The victim, Moshe Gutman, remains in rehab following several surgeries at Jersey Shore Medical Center. TLS.

This content, and any other content on TLS, may not be republished or reproduced without prior permission from TLS. Copying or reproducing our content is both against the law and against Halacha. To inquire about using our content, including videos or photos, email us at [email protected].

Stay up to date with our news alerts by following us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

**Click here to join over 20,000 receiving our Whatsapp Status updates!**

**Click here to join the official TLS WhatsApp Community!**

Got a news tip? Email us at [email protected], Text 415-857-2667, or WhatsApp 609-661-8668.

58 COMMENTS

  1. Glad they caught the perp! Continued refuah sheleimah to Moshe!
    I am sick and tired of hearing of these illegals constantly involved in these vehicular incidents! Ship ’em back in the Astro!

  2. The story says “A family member of the victim…… and questioned someone outside the residence…” I am glad the possible perpetrator has been detained but I just wonder why LPD wasn’t called immediately to investigate the findings

  3. They are middle eastern so they are not terrorists ! I see at least 100 vehicles a day with pa/md nc/sc and ohio plates around the Lakewood area !

    its a tourist attraction I guess

    Wake up INS

  4. It’s amazing to see how many thanks the LPD is receiving even though it was not them that broke the case …

    Can we know who is the real hero that brought this guy to justice? ?

    They should honor him at next township meeting

  5. wow I was so happy to hear this great news. Thanks to everyone that was involved in this search, especially the lakewood police department and lakewood chaveirim. Moshe hope you have a speedy recovery.

  6. wow nice work -kudos to the lakewood community in apprehending the crook, and i heard it was by a EMT member who does lots of chesed-keep up your good work and may the choleh have a full refuah.

  7. hey watch dog dog, they didnt come to my house to clean up, or offer to build me a house, never happened… hey if u employed them and paid them they will come like any workers, oh and would appriciate if its off the books of coarse since they like it here better then mexico…

  8. uninsured motorists jumps in!…now if the illegal hit and run driver becomes disturbed over his crime and seeks medical care and counseling isn’t that covered by the new health care reform?????? He might also qualify for permanent disability.

  9. if its PA plates forget about insurance 99% of the time. They get a bogus letter stating they will be getting insurance and the car belongs to some cousin living in PA who already has moved from that address.

  10. Hey Kevin, why the need to knock the police department?
    They did a great job all through out the past week. How would you, in your little world, know what they did or didn’t do in last week?
    Please think before you spout your ignorant comments.

  11. I am so glad they got this guy off our streets. Usually I am not one of those that “ship” people back to Mexico….but I have to say, it’s gotten out of hand. They do whatever they want without fear of consequence. There have been several SERIOUS accidents recently involving illegals…. So I say- ship ’em home. Immigration must be done legally, period. This guy was technically a murderer- when he drove off, he didn’t know his victim would make it. He didn’t care to stay, let him deal with the consequences now.

  12. Chaveirim member- you r correct i didn’t follow the case all along and therefore did not notice all the effort the LPD put in to this case.

    That said i do feel that this “family member EMT” should be saluted for pursuing to crack the case and bring this guy to justice.

    Are we going to find out who was the “detective” that tracked it down?

  13. Bh the hit and run driver was caught. It was so nice seeing how many people and organizations were working hand in hand searching and trying to find the perp. A special thank you to the Lakewood police department for putting in so many hours on this case and making a press conference on Friday and everything else they did. thanks to the crossing guards, police officers and chaverim members who were standing outdoors in the freezing cold giving out flyers about the hit and run car as reported on TLS. A special thank you to the chaverim team who were up nights searching for the perp and overall helping out with everything including putting together the reward . L 29 we know you were working non stop to help find the perp and help Moshe out tizku lemitzvos. Ofcourse he family member which actually caught the perp gets a special thank you! And a big thank you to thelakewoodscoop for covering the story and keeping us up to date exactly as to what’s going on you guys had a huge part in it. The entire community as a whole gets a thank you for this great community team effort. Moshe look at all the people out there caring for you hope you have a refua shelaima quick and we can see you back on your feet soon … ucc

  14. Without trying to sound unsympathetic, I don’t see how this is a crime against the victim. The fact is there was an accident which resulted in serious injury, perhaps due to neglectful driving perhaps not. I’ll leave it up to the esteemed commentors to reflect on their own driving habits and history before before they channel all their well-meaning sympathy for the victim into criminalizing & villifying the driver responsible.

    There was a crime committed AFTER the crash when the driver left the scene, presumably (& understandably, if not rightfully) out of fear. However, there is no indication that this was done out of animosity, nor that any harm was caused to the victim by this.

    Of course the driver should be prosecuted for that to the full extent of the law, just as any traffic violation should be. After all they are all there for our safety. I just don’t see this story as grounds for any racial or political activism.

    Lets focus on the real help we can give: Davening fo Moshe Aron ben Miriam Zissel, & not waste time on empty witchhunts.

  15. Maybe the family member EMT doesn’t what the publicity? Maybe that person was just doing what any loving family member would have done for their kin. I highly doubt this family member was doing all of this searching for a $5000 reward. So, maybe we should just leave the family members of the victim out of the press so that they may have the time to heal and overcome the tragedy that has befallen their entire family. May G-d watch over the entire family and bring the victim a swift and full recovery.

  16. sorry i need thier votes so they must stay in the usa and get programs and not pay any taxes either

    when will this country wake up already !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  17. what a waste of money!!! why would you offer $5000 to find some loser without insurance… everyone knew it was an illegal alien without insurance.
    Hoooray you got the ____ ! now what ?

  18. Why are we glad the driver was found –
    If a person injures someone, he should feel remorse. If in a moment of panic, the driver ran away, he still has the opportunity to own up to what he’s done. It’s not damage to property, it’s serious injuries to another human being. That is the worst part of the crime of the “hit and run driver.”

  19. To # 51. That’s correct. Your comments will not be posted when they contain curse words, as indicated in our Comment Rules.

    We have strict commenting guidelines, and comments which don’t adhere to them, do not get posted.

    Our forums are meant for those who wish to engage in productive conversation, in a civil manner.

    Curse words, name calling, slander or personal attacks, are some ways to get a comment rejected.

    If you feel your comment adheres to our rules and was still not posted, please email us for an explanation.

    Thank you.

    TLS.

  20. 43: rarely do you see such a well balanced comment. I have to agree.With deepest sympathies to the victim, I daven for him and for the safety of our Chaverim members and public servants every day, why does nobody stop to think that an illegal, unlicensed, uninsured driver fled the scene of an accident because of the fear of what would become of him if he were caught. and on a more general level, that the hardworking illegals of our town came not to mooch off us or terrorize, maim and kill us, but because they were truly suffering in their home country? before you callously say ship em off, perhaps a bit of compassion is in order

  21. For Devora…your own compassion is admirable, however, there are legal ways to come into the US…like my grandparents, and probably yours did. There is also political asylum, for which one can apply. FYI…I work with many social service agencies. Perhaps you are unaware that illegal women come here and continue to have babies in the US, for the purpose of “anchoring” here. They receive health care, housing, food stamps, WIC, and more for these children. We pay for their education. They live in over-occupied housing, so everyone pays a small portion and that gov’t check pays the rest…or maybe ALL of the rent. Taxpayers bear this burden. Many, if not most are not paying taxes on their “off the books” jobs. (And their employers should be stiffly fined!) I say they are stealing from all of us who pay taxes…with our government’s blessing.

    Their actions are criminal, though illegals have the opportunity to go through the same steps any other immigrant would follow if they wanted to be a part of out great nation.

    If this suspect is an illegal alien, he deserves to be punished and deported.

    As for the victim…God Bless him. I wish for a speedy recovery, as pain free as possible, and that he suffers no long term effects.

  22. My best wishes to the victim for a speedy recovery. It’s so sad to see the hatred and racism that is portrayed by so many. This is an awful accident that occurred. The man who left the scene should be punished by the applicable laws regardless of race and/or legal status here in the USA. For those that continue to hate due to same, may God have mercy on your souls.

  23. looks like this guys some sort of contractor.no driver lic. no insurance . why are low lifes like this allowed to stay. the lpd never pulled over this truck i find that hard to believe. we better smarten up here.

Comments are closed.