Driver accused in deadly Jersey City crash appears in court

<p>The driver accused of crashing a stolen SUV that killed a deaf Jersey City man appeared before a judge Friday.</p>

News 12 Staff

Jan 26, 2018, 2:05 AM

Updated 2,281 days ago

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The driver accused of crashing a stolen SUV that killed a deaf Jersey City man appeared before a judge Friday.
Oriental Hamlet, 19, was arrested Thursday afternoon. He is accused of crashing the SUV into a bus stop during a chase with a Hudson County sheriff’s officer. 
Hamlet was charged with death by auto, manslaughter and several other crimes. Two other teens were allegedly in the car with Hamlet at the time. One remains at large.
King, who was deaf, was prominent in the deaf community. Friends and family have set up a memorial at the site where he was killed. Dozens have showed up to light candles and write messages honoring King.
“I think when they take these people in, they let them go too soon,” says mourner Jean Ocasio. “They them forgive too soon. I think they should rot in there when stuff like this happens.”
Malika Graves says she witnessed the crash when it happened early Tuesday morning and rushed out to help.
“Seeing something like that just keeps playing in my mind,” Graves says. “It’s something that you wish you had never seen.”
She says that the people accused in the crime deserve whatever punishment that they may get.
Hamlet is expected back in court Wednesday for a bail hearing.


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