Morristown pulls license of taxi service involved in pedestrian death last month
MORRISTOWN — The Town Council voted to indefinitely revoke the license of a taxi company after a long list of violations were uncovered following the hit-and-run death of a pedestrian last month.
Enslin's LLC/G&S Car Service will no longer be able to operate in Morristown, the council decided in a special meeting prior to its regular session Tuesday night. The five council members in attendance all voted in favor of the move; Tawanna Cotten and Toshiba Foster were absent.
Jermaine Edwards, 51, a driver employed by Enslin's, was arrested after he struck and killed Francis Alvarado-Trejo, 40, of Morristown near the town train station before leaving the scene Aug. 12, according to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office. Edwards has a pre-indictment conference before Judge Ralph Amirata scheduled for Sept. 26.
The council did not discuss the accident or any other specific violations by company owner and founder George Enslin. Rather, it focused on the service's "extensive list of unpermitted drivers" who have received summonses as well as Enslin's repeated failure to obtain permits from the town in the allotted timeframe, Council President Sandi Mayer said.
Council members received a packet detailing a list of Enslin's alleged transgressions. The company has accrued 26 violations over the past six years, Council Vice-President Nathan Umbriac said in the meeting.
"There's certainly a track record here," Umbriac said. "Everything is well-documented, and I would see no reason to renew this (license)."
Enslin, who arrived 15 minutes late to the hearing, has operated his company in Morristown for 25 years after starting in Dover and Mine Hill in 1976. He noted the increased stringency in obtaining licenses over the years and said it is "almost impossible" to find and hire drivers today.
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Enslin also expressed regret for last month's fatal accident. He said he knew Edwards' mother and was aware the man "had some tough times years ago" that included charges on his record.
"I know this wasn't the right thing, but I'm here to serve the community," Enslin said. He later added, "I have no defense for what I did."
Additionally, Enslin said that he did not know he needed to report his drivers' traffic tickets and other infractions to the town. The revelation caused council members to question how important the business in Morristown is to him.
"We understand you do a service to the town, and we appreciate that. We really do," Mayer said. "But there's a line that's been crossed because you have a series of violations of drivers that don't respect your business license that's under your name, that you're responsible for."
Enslin said he understood the council's decision following the vote, saying the town was "in a pickle" after the fatal hit-and-run. He then said it was "not worth it" to reapply for a Morristown license in the future because of the stricter rules and regulations, but he will continue to operate in other areas of Morris County.
Kyle Morel is a local reporter covering Morris and Sussex counties.
Email: kmorel@njherald.com; Twitter: @KMorelNJH
This article originally appeared on New Jersey Herald: Morristown NJ revokes taxi company license after fatal hit-and-run
