New Jersey man charged 6 months after hit-and-run that killed pedestrian

A driver has been charged in a hit-and-run crash that killed a pedestrian in North Jersey six months ago.

Grzegorz Wolak, 33, of Clifton, is charged with knowingly leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, a second-degree felony, the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office said.

He was arrested Wednesday, a day after the arrest warrant was issued, according to public court records.

The crash, which occurred on the night of Wednesday, April 10, caused the death of Rachel McNeil, 58, of Passaic, authorities said.

McNeil was struck by a Ford Explorer at 11:13 p.m. near the intersection of Passaic and Aycrigg avenues in Passaic. The vehicle then fled the scene, prosecutors said.

McNeil died at the hospital two days later, officials said.

It was later determined that the SUV was registered to Walak and that he was the one driving it at the time of the crash, authorities said.

Walak is being held in jail awaiting his first court appearance. Prosecutors are also filing a motion for his pretrial detention.