There are calls for a New Jersey councilwoman to resign after shocking video was released of her plowing into a bicyclist with her vehicle and fleeing the crime scene.
Traffic cameras caught the moment that Democratic Jersey City Councilwoman Amy DeGise was involved in a disturbing hit-and-run that catapulted a delivery person into the air.
Around 8 a.m. on July 19, DeGise sped through an intersection in Jersey City. DeGise’s black Nissan Rogue slammed into 29-year-old UberEats deliveryman Andrew Black. The impact of the crash flipped Black airborne until he slammed violently onto the pavement. The severity of the crash caused Black’s shoes to fall off. Black and his wrecked bicycle were flung feet from the crash.
DeGise did not slow down whatsoever as she sideswiped the cyclist, and she sped away from the hit-and-run.
A dazed Black walks to the sidewalk. Black needs to brace himself on a street pole in order to examine his wounds.
A woman brings the man his lost flip-flop that was in the middle of the street. Another bystander provides a cooler for Black to sit on while he attempts to recover from the crash.
Black spoke to HudPost about the incident.
“I come up to a light, and I have the right-of-way, and right before I get hit, I look left, suddenly I just hear ‘Ba!’ And then I just get hit, and then I hit the hood, and I roll over, and I’m in such pain,” Black told the local media outlet.
“Black was grateful that, despite dealing with deep bruising, he didn’t suffer major physical injuries; however, he suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and says the incident has already caused increased anxiety,” HudPost reported.
NJ.com noted that city officials released the traffic camera footage of the hit-and-run “hours after a local news website, HudPost.com, aired a short interview with the victim.”
Despite Black’s assertion, it appears that DeGise had the right of way and the biker crossed a red light. She was reportedly presented with a summons for leaving the scene of an accident and failing to report it.
DeGise is a Jersey City Councilwoman-at-Large, former chair of the Hudson County Democrats, and the daughter of current county executive Tom DeGise.
There are calls for DeGise to resign following the hit-and-run.
“Past being elected, it’s a living human being – it was really hard for me to witness that,” Councilman Frank Gilmore told WNBC. “It’s a matter of public trust, it’s a matter of respect, it’s a matter of human decency.”
Jersey City councilmember James Solomon said, “The word I use is horrified, that’s how I felt watching the video. She’s an elected official and we have to hold ourselves to a higher standard and that’s why I think she should resign.”
Former Councilman Chris Gadsden wrote on Twitter, “I respect Councilwoman Amy DeGise, but I think after everyone sees the video, we have no other choice but to ask her to step down.”
Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop said, “She shouldn’t have left the scene. That was a tremendous mistake. I’m happy that she took some responsibility by going to the police proactively afterwards. That was the correct move under those circumstances after leaving.”
Jersey City Councilwoman Amy DeGise hit-and-run video
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Hit-and-run crash involving Jersey City Councilwoman Amy DeGise
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In November, DeGise parked illegally and had been driving with an expired registration since 2019. The councilwoman’s car was blocking the path of turning trucks, and her car was hit because of its illegal location in the street.
Police body cam video shows DeGise seemingly attempt to get out of her vehicle being impounded by telling the cop that she has a relative who was “an officer.”
“I have a card on me,” DeGise tells the officer. “If there’s any way I can have a ticket instead. Please.”
“I was endorsed by the police in Jersey City – I’m a councilwoman,” she informs the cop.
DeGise then tells the officer that she talked to someone in the mayor’s office in Jersey City.
The officer refuses to be influenced and issues her a ticket and impounds her SUV.
Jersey City Councilwoman DeGise had car towed in Hoboken for expired registration
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