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Steven Leitgeb, 59, killed by alleged hit-and-run driver Stalin Kappil, 62, at Cedar Land and Garrison Avenue in Teaneck, New Jersey

Modified Date: 
Sun, 01/10/2016 - 8:29am
Accident Date: 
Friday, December 25, 2015

NJ Man Killed in Christmas Day Hit/Run: Police

A New Jersey man was killed Christmas Day by a hit-and-run driver in what witnesses described as a black SUV, police said Saturday. Anyone with information about the accident is asked to call the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Tip Line at 201-226-5532 or the Teaneck Police Department. The SUV was driving east on Cedar Lane when the accident occurred. Steven Leitgeb, 59, was crossing the intersection of Cedar Land and Garrison Avenue in Teaneck at about 6:45 p.m. when he was struck by the vehicle, investigators said. Investigators believe the vehicle's passenger-side bumper, hood and windshield was damaged.

Man charged in hit-and-run crash that left pedestrian dead

Bergen County prosecutors say 62-year-old Stalin Kappil, of Teaneck, turned himself in Saturday on a charge of leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle accident. Authorities say 59-year-old Steven Leitgeb was struck by an SUV as he was crossing the intersection of Cedar Lane and Garrison Avenue and the driver fled the scene. Leitgeb was taken to a hospital, where he died a short time later. He was released after posting bond and is scheduled to appear in municipal court Wednesday. A telephone number in Kappil's name rang unanswered Sunday morning.
Why every fatality from a crash is not legally a wrongful death

After someone dies in a motor-vehicle accident, grieving family members and friends are often left with many questions. What caused the accident? Could it have been avoided? What do they do now that their loved one is gone?

Sometimes a fatal collision happens through no one's fault. Crashes caused by weather and road conditions, or by wildlife in the roadway, are examples. But when a fatal crash is caused by negligence, then family members should pursue a wrongful death claim, to uphold the victim's rights and begin the financial recovery process. Learn more about wrongful death claims here.

Type: Pedestrian Accident
Topics: 
Hit and Run
People Involved: 
Steven Leitgeb
Stalin Kappil
Roadway: 
Cedar Land and Garrison Avenue
City: 
Teaneck, NJ
County: 
Bergen County, NJ
Area: 
Trenton-NJ

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