PARSIPPANY — Parsippany-Troy Hills Police, Morris Township Police, Mount Tabor Fire Department, Parsippany Rescue and Recovery, Parsippany Volunteer Ambulance Squad, Morris Fire Department, along with Morris Minutemen First Aid Squad responded to the area of 500 West Hanover Avenue for a hit and run motor vehicle crash with injuries at 11:00 p.m. on January 10.
The vehicle that was crashed into was a 2011 Honda CRV occupied by three people. While the victims were being tended to for their injuries, Officers were able to obtain a description of the vehicle that fled. Shortly after arriving on scene, officers were advised of a second motor vehicle crash approximately a quarterly mile away on North Star Drive in Morris Township that officers from Randolph Township and Morris Township were currently investigating.
After a brief investigation it was determined that the vehicle, a 2014 Acura RDX, that caused the crash and fled was the same vehicle involved in the single vehicle motor vehicle crash in Morris Township. Neel Patel, 36, Morristown, was placed under arrest for driving while intoxicated.
Upon arriving at Parsippany Police Headquarters Mr. Patel was charged via Summons with the following:
Three counts of Assault by Auto with Injury, two counts of Reckless Driving, Driving While Intoxicated, Failure to Maintain Lane, Leaving the Scene of an Accident with Injuries, and Following too Closely.
Mr. Patel was released on his own recognizance into the custody of a sober adult pending his court appearance.
The three occupants of the Honda were transported to Morristown Medical Center for treatment of their injuries which were described as: The 74 year old male driver of the Honda CRV received multiple internal injuries; The 69 year old female front seat passenger and 42 year old female rear passenger received minor injuries to their heads.
Editors Note: A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. Despite this accusation, the defendant is presumed innocent until he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
