Reward increased to $25K in Route 1 hit-and-run that killed Rahway man
The reward has been increased to $25,000 for information leading to the identification of the hit-and-run driver who fatally struck a Rahway teenager in a crosswalk on Route 1 in Linden earlier this year.
Rayan Bien-Aima, the oldest of his family's five children, was leaving work at Freddy's Frozen Custard and Steakburgers in Linden and was walking across Route 1 at about 11:15 p.m. April 25 in a crosswalk near the intersection of Aviation Plaza north to meet his mother, Phara Belony, across the highway for a ride home when he was struck by a vehicle on the highway that kept going.
Bien-Aima was critically injured in the crash and was hospitalized in a coma for two months and a week before he died on July 2, according to his obituary.
The hit-and-run driver has yet to be identified.
The reward for information about the identity of the driver has been increased from the $10,000 initially offered by Union County Crime Stoppers to $25,000 by the law firm representing the Bien-Aima's family. The reward is contingent upon information leading to the identification of the vehicle.
Edward Capozzi, an attorney with Brach Eichler in Roseland, said the reward was increased to spark interest in the case and increase chances of identifying the driver.
"We just want to find the person," Capozzi said. "When you're around this family and you see how upset they are and you hear about what a nice kid he was, you can't help but want to help out a little bit. We're just trying to take it to the next step. I think anyone would want to find out who did it. Maybe it will bring some closure to the situation."
Capozzi said Linden police have closed the case until they get any new leads.
An email sent to Linden police has not yet been returned. Linden Police Chief Dave Hart last month said even the smallest bit of information could be the missing piece of the puzzle that breaks the case.
The vehicle, believed to be a late model black Infiniti or Toyota, sustained damage to the turn signal indicator, headlight cover, black front grill, a dented hood and a cracked windshield, pieces of which were recovered at the crash scene.
Local:Rahway woman charged in Linden bank robbery, using fake gun
Recently letters were sent out to hundreds of auto body repair businesses within 100 miles of the crash scene in hopes one of them may have worked on the vehicle and knows the owner.
Capozzi said Bien-Aima was waiting for the light at the intersection to turn red to cross. He started to cross and made it three-fourths of the way before the light turned green. He said Bien-Aima was directly in front of a vehicle in the middle lane when the light turned green, but that driver waited for him. But another vehicle coming down the road went around the stopped vehicle and hit the teen in the crosswalk, tossing him into the air, Capozzi said.
"That road is very dark and late at night when there is not a lot of traffic on the road the cars drive fast," Capozzi said. "They obviously knew they hit him because it shattered the windshield, but they just took off."
Capozzi said his office has some blurred videos and photos of the vehicle.
Bien-Aima, who was born in Haiti and came to the United States with his parents at age 7, was a member of the Rahway High School Jr. ROTC with plans to join the U.S. Marine Corps after graduation. He was slated to be sworn in as a U.S. citizen in June 2022, just weeks after the crash.
Anyone with information about the possible identification of the hit-and-run vehicle and driver is asked to contact Brach Eichler Injury Attorneys at 973-364-8311.
Email: srussell@gannettnj.com
Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Rahway NJ: Reward increased in fatal Route 1 hit-and-run
