Officer Seriously Hurt in Route 80 Hit-and-Run
Officer Seriously Hurt in Route 80 Hit-and-Run
Anonymous
Key Points
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State police said the officer had stopped a gray Nissan Maxima in the eastbound Route 80 deceleration lane at milepost 62.4 at approximately 4:34 a.m.
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The unknown vehicle struck the left side of the Nissan as well as the officer before fleeing, while all three occupants of the Nissan escaped injury.
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The officer’s identity and details about the suspect vehicle had not been released, and no arrest had been announced.
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Witnesses and others with information were asked to contact the New Jersey State Police Troop B Totowa Station at 973-785-9412; anonymous tips are accepted.
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Under New Jersey’s Move Over Law, drivers approaching stopped emergency responders or other protected roadside vehicles must safely move over one lane when possible; if that is not safe, they must slow below the posted speed limit and be prepared to stop.
Saddle Brook police officer Nicholas Genuario was struck by a passing vehicle early Sunday while conducting a traffic stop on eastbound Interstate 80 near Exit 62. Daily Voice reported that the officer suffered serious injuries but remained in stable condition at a local hospital. The driver fled the scene, and NJ 101.5 noted that an arrest was later made in connection with the hit-and-run.
The officer had stopped a gray Nissan Maxima in the eastbound deceleration lane at approximately 4:34 a.m. at milepost 62.4. Metro Law reported that the unknown vehicle struck both the left side of the Nissan and the officer before fleeing. All three occupants of the stopped vehicle escaped injury, according to Shore News Network.
Officer Struck While Working a Routine Traffic Stop
Officer Genuario was standing outside his patrol vehicle during a routine traffic stop on Interstate 80 when the hit-and-run occurred. WPG Talk Radio stated the officer was seriously injured in the collision. The incident took place in the early morning hours, a time when traffic visibility and driver attention can be compromised on busy highways.
The gray Nissan Maxima that Genuario had pulled over was unoccupied at the moment of impact. Shore News Network confirmed that the vehicle's three occupants were unhurt despite being present during the crash. State police said the vehicle was stopped in a deceleration lane, a safer location than the travel lanes.
Suspect Arrested and Charged With Aggravated Assault
Daily Voice reported that Katelyn M. Gallardo was arrested and charged with second-degree aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer. She also faces a third-degree charge of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in injury and third-degree endangering. The arrest represents a significant development in a case that initially had no identified suspect.
New Jersey's Move Over Law Aims to Protect Emergency Workers
Under New Jersey's Move Over Law, drivers approaching stopped emergency responders must safely move over one lane when possible. If changing lanes is unsafe, drivers must slow below the speed limit and be ready to stop. This law exists precisely to prevent incidents like the one that struck Officer Genuario on Route 80.
Police remind drivers to remain alert and comply with Move Over requirements at all times. A single distracted or negligent driver can cause severe injuries or death. Officer Genuario's case underscores the ongoing dangers law enforcement faces, even during routine traffic stops on highways.
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