Caldwell Family Seeks Justice After Fatal Hit-and-Run Claims Life of Visiting Mother

A 57-year-old woman was killed in a hit-and-run crash in Essex County, New Jersey, and her family wants justice. The tragedy has upset family and raised questions about driver responsibility and road safety in the region.

Local authorities said Sharon Marcia Thomas was hit at 6:30 p.m. on January 16 in the 400 block of Bloomfield Avenue in Caldwell. She walked off a bus shortly before the incident, according to police.

The first driver who hit Thomas exited the vehicle, glanced at her laying on the road, then returned and drove away without helping, according to investigators. Another motorist hit her as she stayed on the road. The driver stayed and contacted 911.

Thomas was unconscious when Caldwell police arrived. She was taken to a local hospital and pronounced dead at 7:22 p.m. Linden Thomas, his brother, hopes the driver who hit his sister would come forward. He claimed the loss has devastated their close family and that they want responsibility.

Family members think the outcome would have been different if the first driver hadn’t left her in the road. They think leaving the scene has worsened their anguish and misery.

The incident occurred while Sharon Thomas was visiting a friend in Caldwell from Orange County, New York. She was the oldest of three siblings and has an autistic 13-year-old son. The child is with his father, according to her brother.

Thomas was adored by family and community, relatives said. According to her sister Allison Davis, she was a lifelong learner who enjoyed challenges and was active.

Thomas graduated from Brooklyn’s Nazareth Regional High School in 1986. She cheered, debated, and reached the state oratorical finals in school. Her musical talents included piano, flute, and clarinet.

Her passion remained throughout college, where she was involved. Thomas worked as a Wall Street financial analyst after graduating. Her sister says she was an executive assistant at Citigroup and JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Her brother last saw her in December 2025 at a family gathering in Guyana, where they are from. He said the loss has devastated relatives in the US and abroad.

Police are investigating the fatal hit-and-run. Call the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-877-847-7432 with any information about the incident.

The case shows the dangers of leaving a crash site. New Jersey law requires drivers to stop and assist victims of fatal accidents. Failure to do so can result in serious criminal charges.

Finding answers is more important to Sharon Thomas’s family than the judicial process. They want the driver to confess so they can get closure after an unimaginable loss.