Full Notification

   
   
 
INCIDENT:  2023-33572  Fatal Motor Vehicle Crash
 
CRIMINAL CHARGE: Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Death
 
OTHER CHARGES: Motorist Hitting Domestic Animal to Stop; Report
                                  Failure to Yield to Pedestrian in Crosswalk
                                  Careless Driving
                                  Leaving the Scene of an Accident
                                  Failure to Report an Accident                                         
                                    
DATE & TIME OCCURRED:  11/27/23  at  5:37 PM
 
LOCATION OCCURRED:  Intersection of Rabbit Hill Road & Abbington Lane
 
REPORTING OFFICER:  Traffic Officer E. McQuade #597 - Lead Investigator              
 
VICTIM:  Ananta Ahuja – 12-year-old female
               Resident of West Windsor, NJ
 
DRIVER / ACCUSED:  Iftekhar Hossain – 65-year-old male
                                     Resident of West Windsor, NJ
           
DETAILS:  On 11/27/23 at 5:37 PM, WWPD Communications detailed Patrol and Traffic Units to a pedestrian struck at the intersection of Rabbit Hill Rd. and Abbington Ln. West Windsor Division of Fire and Emergency Services and police units arrived to find Ananta Ahuja and her dog lying on the roadway in the middle of the intersection. West Windsor Division of Fire and Emergency Services immediately rendered first aid to Ananta and transported her to Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center where she succumbed to her injuries. Her dog died at the scene. Preliminary investigation indicated that a gray Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by a 65-year-old male driver traveling on Rabbit Hill Rd. struck Ananta and her dog while they were crossing the road.
 
UPDATE:  A comprehensive investigation was conducted with the assistance of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, Serious Collision Response Team. The investigation found that both Ananta and her dog were in the crosswalk, and had already made it past one side of the road, when they were struck by the gray Jeep Grand Cherokee. The driver of the gray Jeep, Iftekhar Hossain, knowingly left the scene of the collision and failed to report it. He did, however, return to the scene approximately ten minutes later.
     Investigation found that Mr. Hossain had operated his vehicle without due caution and circumspection, and that he failed to yield to a pedestrian in the crosswalk. It was also determined that neither speeding nor cell phone use contributed to this tragic collision. A criminal charge was prepared for Mr. Hossain for leaving the scene of the accident which resulted in Ananta’s death. Officers from the West Windsor Police Department and Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office arrested Mr. Hossain earlier today. After processing, he was transported to the Mercer County Correction Center pending a detention hearing.
 
OFFICER PREPARING RELEASE:  Lt. J. Lai #370

DATE OF RELEASE:  12/08/2023

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*Please note that charges are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.