EDISON, NJ—Authorities announced criminal charges against a 29-year-old man who was involved in a fatal crash on Route 1 that took the life of a 74-year-old Edison resident.
Both men were taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, but Ronald Setlight was pronounced dead shortly after he arrived there in the early morning hours of November 5.
Christopher Ravita, of Lebanon Township in Hunterdon County, was charged with “death by auto” in the crash, making him at least the third person to be charged with that crime in Edison this year.
Setlight perished after Ravita’s 2010 Volkswagen Golf “ran a red light” on Route 1, and struck Setlight’s 2015 Honda Accord as it was crossing the highway at Grandview Avenue, according to authorities.
The victims have been ages 33, 74, and 93. All were men.
But, in a case where an 11-year-old boy riding a skateboard in an Edison parking lot, was fatally struck by an out of control vehicle, no charges have been filed despite community concern over the matter.
That incident, which claimed the life of Askari Moore, occurred on May 20, nearly six months ago.
The latest incident occurred on November 5 at approximately 3:15 am, and the criminal charge was announced later that same day.
In the two prior deaths, both of which occurred on Route 27, it took Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey and Chief Thomas Bryan of the Edison Police Department about three months to file and announce death by auto charges.
However, this incident was different: Ravita was both hospitalized and arrested shortly after the wreck.
The victim was taken to the New Brunswick hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time after the crash.
Bail was set at $50,000 for Ravita, and authorities noted he was “being held for observation” at the hospital. As of November 16, he had not been admitted to the Middlesex County jail.
The investigation was characterized as “active and… continuing,” according to the press release which was not sent to New Brunswick Today.
Anyone with information is asked to call EPD Lt. Dominick Masi at (732) 248-7400, or MCPO Detective Donald Heck at (732) 745-3300.
Charlie is the founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, and the winner of the Awbrey Award for Community-Oriented Local Journalism. He is a proud Rutgers University journalism graduate, a community organizer, and a former independent candidate for mayor of New Brunswick.
