6-year-old pedestrian killed, driver arrested when car jumps curb

Authorities say a 6-year-old boy was killed and his mother was injured on Saturday when a car driven by a Piscataway man jumped a curb and struck the pair as they were walking on a sidewalk in Highland Park.

According to a press release issued by Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey and Highland Park Police Chief Stephen J. Rizco a driver identified as Shang Zhen Huang, 21, was heading north on Raritan Avenue toward Edison, "when his 2013 Lexus jumped the curb and hit the two victims" at about 3:10 p.m.

Both victims were taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where the child, identified as Chaim Kraus, was pronounced dead at 3:39 p.m. The child's 37-year-old mother, whose name has not yet been released, was listed in critical condition, the press release states.

Mayor Gayle Brill Mittler told NJ Advance Media in a text message that the community is in mourning. The mother is believed to have had surgery as a result of her injuries, NJ Advance Media reported.

The driver was charged with two counts of aggravated assault and is being held in lieu of $200,000 bail. He was also treated at the hospital for minor injuries, but was later releaed to police custody.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the situation and are asking anyone with information to contact Detective Heck of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-745-3300, or Officer Curbelo of the Highland Park Police Department at 732-572-3800.

Toniann Antonelli is the digital managing editor for news at NJ 101.5. Reach her at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.