UPDATE: Woman, Toddler Struck On Route 10

A West Orange resident is listed in serious condition after being hit by a car while crossing Route 10 in front of Mount Pleasant Middle School this morning.  She was holding a toddler at the time.

Kareen Barrett, 42, was crossing the intersection of Tiffany Drive and Route 10 with a 2 1/2-year-old boy in her arms when a woman driving a Honda Odyssey van struck the two, said police.  The driver has been identified as Cuifang Nie, 40, of Livingston.

Paramedics and the Livingston First Aid squad responded to the scene and brought the two pedestrians to University Hospital, according to Livingston Det. Sgt. Anthony Dippold.

As of 3:30 p.m., Barrett was listed as being in serious, but stable, condition with multiple broken bones and possible head trauma.  The toddler is being kept for observation after possibly suffering a fracture.

Barrett is the caregiver for the toddler, a Livingston resident.  Investigators say that by holding the toddler, some of the impact was taken off of the two when the van hit.  In addition, investigators say that the injuries to the toddler would've been much worse if he was not in his caregiver's arms.

The accident, which occurred at 8:57 a.m., closed a portion of Route 10/Mount Pleasant Avenue, but it has since reopened.  The Essex County Prosecutor's Office also responded to the scene.

Nie was questioned at Livingston Police Headquarters following the accident and no decision has been made as to which charges, if any, will be filed.

This was the second incident of this kind to happen in Essex County this morning.  at about 7:35 a.m. while attempting to cross Grove Street in the crosswalk by Oxford Street.

According to Montclair police, the driver was a 71-year-old East Orange resident who was traveling northbound on Grove Street when he struck a pedestrian who was crossing at the intersection of Grove and Oxford. The driver, operating a Ford Fusion, was issued motor vehicle tickets for driving an uninsured car and also for failing to stop at a pedestrian crosswalk.

The pedestrian, a Montclair man, was transported by ambulance to Saint Joseph’s Hospital in Paterson for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

Stay tuned to Patch as more details become available.