Across North Jersey, there are numerous factors that increase the risk of collisions where vehicles hit pedestrians. Busy streets, drivers who exceed the speed limit and distractions such as cell phones all contribute to these potentially catastrophic incidents. Now, a threat that has arisen in several places throughout the country has led to multiple pedestrian injuries in Bergen County.
When a group of protesters gathered in Fairview to protest the actions of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), they might have expected to meet some verbal resistance. However, the situation escalated well beyond that when a woman who disagreed with the protesters rammed her car through the crowd, injuring several of them. As a result, the motorist, Linda Roglen of North Bergen, was arrested and charged with multiple crimes and traffic offenses.
One onlooker says that Roglen had shouted at the protesters, praising ICE’s work. In turn, one of the protesters started arguing back, getting close to Roglen’s face. At that point, she apparently hit the accelerator, striking the man she was arguing with, and several others.
Over the past several years, incidents where pedestrian accidents occur at rallies held by social justice activists or political protesters have gained increasing attention. Such situations spark critical questions about safety, accountability and the legal consequences for drivers involved in these intentional or reckless acts. Some states, though not New Jersey, have passed laws providing civil immunity in certain cases to motorists who injure protesters blocking the road. However, even in these jurisdictions, drivers are liable when they intentionally hit individuals taking part in a demonstration.
Regardless of the particular issue or what a victim might have done to provoke the motorist, using a vehicle as a weapon, or a means to scatter a crowd, is a serious offense, demonstrating disregard for human life. Whether a pedestrian collision is intentional, as seems to have been the case in Fairview, or a result of negligence, the victim could suffer catastrophic harm.
Seigel Law in Ridgewood has collected more than $500 million for New Jersey plaintiffs in personal injury and wrongful death claims arising from pedestrian accidents and other types of motor vehicle collisions. Please call 201-444-4000 or contact us online for a free consultation if you or a loved one has been hit by a car or truck.