Family remembers man killed in South Jersey hit-and-run – NBC New York

Police in Washington Township, Gloucester County, continue to search for answers after on Monday, November 4, a man was killed in a hit-and-run..

John DeMarco, 58, was walking south on Fries Mill Road, between the Riggins gas station and Watson Drive, around 8 p.m. when he was struck and killed. The driver left the scene, police said.

“I hope whoever did this has the conscience to come forward and give us some closure,” said Donna Costa, DeMarco’s aunt.

DeMarco’s loved ones said he was an incredible son, nephew and cousin. He came from a large family and was loved by many from South Jersey to South Philadelphia and beyond. The family said he adored his mother and spent a lot of time caring for her and his aunt.

“He was special,” Costa said. “A real person who was loved by everyone. Our family needs him and will miss him. He will be greatly missed. This is a tragedy.”

DeMarco worked at Cardinal Village, a nursing and assisted living facility in Washington Township. His family said he loves his job and the people he serves.

“He would go on his day off and play cards and bingo with them as a friend,” said Jim Colongo, DeMarco’s cousin.

Family members said DeMarco had learning disabilities and had never driven a car. Walking was nothing unusual for him. Monday night, they said he was walking to a pharmacy near his home when a driver hit him and drove off.

“He had so much life left and he left behind people who really cared about him and will miss him,” Kolongo said.

His family said he was kind, funny and loving.

“I’m so angry at whoever did this. And I don’t know if I’ll ever recover from that,” Costa said.

Washington County Police Chief Pat Gurczyk said no witnesses reported seeing the crash. He said the area of ​​Free’s Mill Road where DeMarco was walking gets very dark at night.

Police do not have a description of what the car looks like, but investigators have been returning to the scene every day since they began searching for clues. Chief Gurchik said this is a challenging case for investigators, but it is a priority for his team.

“That’s why they went out to the scene three, four, five times, just trying to gather all the evidence they could. Knocking on doors, talking to local businesses and getting sightings from any businesses in the area and then putting it all together and trying to come up with a description of the vehicle,” Gurczyk said. “We are absolutely confident that the person who hit Mr. DeMarco knows he hit someone and definitely fled the scene.”

Chief Gurchik shared a message for the driver: “Give up as soon as possible.”

“We just expect people to do the right thing,” Costa said. “So I hope that happens.”

If anyone witnessed the crash or has any information that will assist in the investigation, please contact Officer Frank Cicalese at [email protected] or our Detective Bureau at 856-589-0330.

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