NEWARK, NJ — Authorities in Newark are investigating a fatal crash that killed a pedestrian early Sunday at an intersection in the city’s downtown area. Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II and Newark Public Safety Director Emanuel Miranda said the collision happened around 2:06 a.m. at Bloomfield Avenue and North 6th Street.
Police received a report that a pedestrian had been hit by a vehicle, and emergency responders rushed the man to University Hospital. He was later pronounced dead at 2:36 a.m. Officials identified him as 37-year-old Sequndo Reyes Lligun.
Officials say off duty officer was driving and stayed at the scene
Investigators said the driver was an off-duty Newark police officer. Authorities said the officer remained at the scene after the crash, showed no signs of impairment and is cooperating with investigators.
No details have been released about what led to the collision or the direction either party was traveling before impact. Officials have also not said whether any charges are being considered. For now, the case remains an active investigation handled by local authorities.
The crash happened at Bloomfield Avenue and North 6th Street
The intersection where the crash occurred sits in a busy part of Newark, where Bloomfield Avenue serves as a major corridor and North 6th Street crosses through the neighborhood. The location is in an area where nighttime traffic can include both vehicles and pedestrians moving through the city’s street grid.
Authorities did not immediately provide information about weather, lighting conditions or any traffic-control issues at the scene. Those details can matter in crash investigations, but officials have not publicly described whether any of them played a role here.
Victim identified as 37 year old Sequndo Reyes Lligun
The man who died was identified by authorities as Sequndo Reyes Lligun, 37. He was taken from the scene to University Hospital, where medical staff pronounced him dead about half an hour after the reported crash.
No additional biographical information about Reyes Lligun has been released, and authorities have not said whether his family has been notified. In fatal pedestrian crashes, investigators typically work to piece together the timeline from witness accounts, scene evidence and vehicle damage, but officials have not yet shared those findings.
Prosecutor and public safety director are leading the investigation
Stephens and Miranda said the matter remains under active review. In New Jersey, fatal crashes involving pedestrians are often investigated jointly by county prosecutors and local police agencies, especially when a law enforcement officer is the driver.
Officials have not outlined a timetable for releasing further findings. They also have not said whether investigators have completed any measurements, interviews or forensic reviews at the intersection. At this stage, the public update is limited to the facts that a pedestrian died, the driver was an off-duty officer and the officer is cooperating.
What remains unknown after the fatal Newark collision
Several key questions remain unanswered, including how fast the vehicle was traveling, whether the pedestrian was in a crosswalk and whether either the driver or the victim had the right of way. Authorities have not said if surveillance cameras captured the crash or if investigators expect to issue a more detailed statement.
For now, officials are asking the public to rely on confirmed information as the investigation continues. The fatal collision adds another serious traffic death to Newark’s overnight streets, and investigators are still working to determine exactly what happened before the pedestrian was struck.