BAYONNE -- The 77-year-old woman who drove into a Wendy's in Bayonne and fatally injured an 89-year-old man currently isn't facing criminal charges but has been issued a summons for careless driving, according to authorities.
On Feb. 19, a Wendy's employee said she watched in horror as the woman's BMW SUV smashed into the front entrance of the building at 181 Lefante Way and rammed into a man later identified as John Ruiu, 89, of Bayonne.
In the ensuing shower of broken glass and twisted metal, the car plowed forward into Ruiu, sending him flying into the wall and then continuing onward to sweep him under its tires.
"She took him out with her, all the way to the wall," the 31-year-old employee told the Jersey Journal. "She actually ended up on top of him. Then she backed up a little bit and got off of him."
When emergency workers arrived, Ruiu was taken to Jersey City Medical Center-Barnabas Health, where he remained in critical condition until he died on March 9.
The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office said this week that no criminal charges have been filed against the 77-year-old driver. According to a copy of the woman's summons that was obtained by The Jersey Journal, she is scheduled to appear in Bayonne Municipal Court on June 11 at 9 a.m.
Around the time of the incident, police said the elderly woman, who was the only person in the SUV, wasn't under the influence of any drugs or alcohol. She did not deliberately drive into the Wendy's with the intent to harm anyone, police added.
When asked about the possibility of criminal charges being brought against the woman in the future, HCPO spokesman Gene Rubino said the police investigation into the matter remains open.
Jonathan Lin may be reached at jlin@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @jlin_jj. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.