Driver charged with hitting man in hit-and-run accident in Fair Lawn

A 70-year-old man was hospitalized after a road rage incident in Fair Lawn left neighbors shocked.

Video from a doorbell camera shows a driver hitting a pedestrian, dragging him down Berdan Avenue and then leaving the scene. Police said this happened after an earlier accident on Plaza Road when the victim tried to photograph the other driver.

Neighbors said all they heard was the screeching of tires and the screams of the man lying in the street.

“I saw the man bleeding,” said neighbor Ralph Polo. “I called my wife and said, ‘Please give me wet towels.’ I patted the man on the head. I talked to him, he was conscious.”

According to police, the victim was taken to the hospital with injuries that did not appear to be life-threatening. Local residents say an act of violence like this is not typical for the neighborhood.

“People run, they go to the park, they go for walks, they walk their dogs,” Polo said. “During the day, there’s a lot of traffic. Some of these guys speed off in their cars, sometimes they speed up and sometimes they slow down.”

Although the other driver sped away, the victim’s son managed to take a photo that proved vital.

“Luckily, the son was quick to respond with the phone,” Polo said. “He picked it up from a long distance, but (police) were able to trace the license plate number and that’s how they caught the guy.”

Norberto Herrera, 66, of Fair Lawn, faces several charges, including assault with a vehicle, hit-and-run and failure to report an accident.