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Teaneck Motorist Surrenders In Hit-And-Run Crash That Killed Pedestrian

TEANECK, N.J. -- A New York City social worker who lives in Teaneck turned himself in Saturday to face charges in the Christmas night hit-and-run death of a township man, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal announced, confiming an earlier Daily Voice report.

Stalin Kappil

Stalin Kappil

Photo Credit: LinkedIn photo
Screen capture from surveillance image

Screen capture from surveillance image

Photo Credit: COURTESY: Bergen County Prosecutor

Stalin Kappil, a 62-year-old Indian immigrant, is married and has worked as a supervisor for the City of New York Administration for Children's Services since 2010, records show.

He was charged with leaving the scene of a fatal motor vehicle accident, a second-degree charge, Grewal said.

Kappil, who lives about a dozen blocks south of the crash site, came to Teaneck police headquarters, accompanied by his lawyer, at 2 p.m., the prosecutor said.

He posted 10% of his $50,000 bail after being processed and was released Saturday evening pending a first appearance Wednesday morning in Teaneck Municipal Court.

Daily Voice on Friday published a photo (above) supplied by the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office of the black SUV that authorities said struck 59-year-old Steven J. Leitgeb as he crossed Cedar Lane, a block from his Garrison Avenue home, at 6:47 p.m. Dec. 25.

The vehicle -- which they said they believed was a Honda Pilot -- continued east on Cedar Lane and then south on Palisade Avenue.

Leitgeb was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center, where he later died. 

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