Newark, N.J.- Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II and Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda announced today that an investigation is underway into a fatal hit-and-run crash that claimed the lives of two female pedestrians in Newark on Saturday, June 20, 2026.
At approximately 11:00 p.m., Newark Police received a report that two female pedestrians had been struck by a vehicle while in the crosswalk at the intersection of Park Avenue and North 7th Street. The vehicle continued northbound on North 7th Street and fled the scene.
The victims, Mariana Elizabeth Valverde Beltran, 58, of Elizabeth, and Maria Isabel DeLosAngeles Salgado Ayala, 61, of Newark were taken to University Hospital, where they were later pronounced deceased.
This incident remains an active and ongoing investigation. No additional information is available at this time.
Anyone with information on this incident is urged to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Tips Line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432. All calls will remain confidential.
