News
Car Driven By Former Mayor Strikes Pedestrian On East Front Street
By John Burton
RED BANK - A car driven by former Mayor Edward J. McKenna, Jr. struck a pedestrian crossing Front St. near Riverview Hospital last Monday night. The pedestrian, a hospital employee, was injured and admitted to the hospital, officials said.
According to Red Bank Police Captain Stephen McCarthy, McKenna had been traveling west on the snow-covered East Front Street at approximately 7:30 p.m. when his vehicle allegedly struck the woman.
Police identified the victim as Julia Sternik, 49, a borough resident. Sternik had been crossing East Front, traveling south, when the accident occurred, according to McCarthy.
McKenna, who was driving a 2008 Mercedes Benz, allegedly hit Sternik as she was walking in the westbound lane of the road.
Sternik had been walking in the designated crosswalk, McCarthy said.
Sternik was taken to the Medical Center, where, as of Tuesday afternoon, she was listed in stable condition, McCarthy said.
As of Wednesday morning her condition was listed as fair, according to a medical center spokesperson.
McKenna was issued a summons for failure to yield to a pedestrian, McCarthy said.
Borough police normally place signs along that section of the roadway to remind motorists they are obligated to allow pedestrian the right-of-way.
However, because of the snowstorm that day, police had removed the signs to make way for snowplows.
"It was an unfortunate motor vehicle accident," McCarthy said.
A phone call to McKenna's office on Wednesday was not returned by press time.
Elected in 1990, McKenna, 58, served as borough mayor for 16 years. He is the borough's longest serving Democratic mayor.
While mayor, in 2000, he was involved in a minor traffic accident that attracted considerable local media attention, when his car collided with another vehicle at the Red Bank exit on the Garden State Parkway, and was accused of leaving the scene of an accident and other violations.
McKenna later pleaded guilty to a lesser offense.
