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Although twin brothers were charged this week in connection with the Route 46 hit-and-run crash that killed Brian Rossi of Teaneck last month, it's hardly solace for those who loved him.
Rossi's sister, Colleen Peterson of Ridgewood, penned an open letter in which she tried to make sense of the tragedy.
"I had a brother. I can relate to wanting to do anything to help your brother," Peterson wrote. "This blows away the limits....It was a time to talk sense to him. To encourage him when he was scared to do the right thing."
Instead, authorities said, Brandon and Brian Bialek conspired to cover up their roles in Rossi's death.
SEE: Twins Charged In Hit-Run That Killed Teaneck Man, 28
Brandon Bialek was driving to work when he sped up to beat the light, struck Rossi with his car near the Teterboro Walmart and kept going, Peterson said her family was told.
Rossi died on impact -- a "morsel of grace for my family," she wrote. "That’s the thing that has made me feel slightly better and I don’t know if we know that for certain."
Peterson wonders why the brothers had to be tracked down by detectives who pinged their cellphones rather than confess.
"I don’t imagine they are evil people," she wrote. "Even if they were more worried about their lives than the stranger who lay dead or dying completely alone, they made it worse for themselves."
As it did for her and her family, Peterson said.
BELOW IS THE LETTER PUBLISHED ON FACEBOOK WEDNESDAY, ALONG WITH A PHOTO OF BRIAN ROSSI DRESSED AS A FIREFIGHTER WHEN HE WAS A TODDLER.
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This is it my pumpkin. They found them, but it doesn’t bring you back. It doesn’t give you one more breath. Can we forgive someone who isn’t asking to be forgiven?
Brian, I miss you everyday. I love you more everyday. I will always wish you were here. I will always wish I made more time or paid more attention. I will always wish I had more time to be a better sister. I didn’t appreciate all the time I had you here. I will always wish you had more time to live your life. All we had will never be enough. Whatever happens to these 2 will never change that you are not with us. You are my sunshine, pumpkin-butt, Brian Peter Cottontail.
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The detectives found the hit and run driver who killed Brian. His accomplice was his twin brother. 32 year olds, not children. I had a brother. I can relate to wanting to do anything to help your brother. This blows away the limits. It was a time to talk sense to him. To encourage him when he was scared to do the right thing.
I have said to a few people that whoever the driver called must have been a family member. Who else would you trust if you had hit and left a person for dead? So now this other family’s lives will be tortured. Another mother and father will have to endure desperate heartache over their son(s). No, I don’t feel better. If this is part of my family’s healing process, it sucks and I would like to retire the word closure.
They were caught primarily by cell phone calls/ tower pings. They did not call 911 when Brian’s body was laying dead on the frozen ground of route 46 during the coldest morning of the year. They did not turn themselves in over the next 6 weeks. They still have not confessed! I don’t imagine they are evil people but they really made this worse. Even if they were more worried about their lives than the stranger who lay dead/ dying completely alone, they made it worse for themselves.
The detectives said there is no reason to suspect drugs or alcohol since he was on his way to work and has no prior arrests. Why not call? Accidents happen. Accidents that result in death happen all the time. It must have been scary, terrifying. So, how could you risk the chance that this person is still alive? We are told the man was driving to work, sped up to beat the light and he hit Brian at a fast speed. They believe he died on impact. What a morsel of grace for my family. That’s the thing that has made me feel slightly better and I don’t know if we know that for certain. I still would have appreciated a call to 911. That’s the least a normal person could do. Would you not call the police if you hit a dog?
My brother, Brian, is in God’s Hands with many of our family, both his grandmas and grandpas and friends. The men that cut his life short are in the hands of professionals, police, courts, lawyers, judges. I will try to update as we find out more. I appreciate all of your love and prayers
If anything can be gained from this, never try to get away with whatever you’re trying to hide. Never compromise a sibling to help you get away with manslaughter. Cell phones are as strong as DNA.
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