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UPDATE: The boy has been identified in a financial campaign as 14-year-old Bryan Barbosa, of South River.
Michael Arena, of South River, was behind the wheel of a white work van when he struck the boy riding his bike around 4:20 p.m. on Whiteland and Russell avenues, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and SRPD Chief Mark Tinitigan said.
The boy was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Arena was arrested that day at his home, and admitted to driving the vehicle at the time of the crash. He has been charged with Aggravated Manslaughter and Leaving the Scene of a Fatal Motor Vehicle Crash.
Arena is being held at the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center pending the results of a pre-trial detention hearing in Superior Court.
The investigation is active and continuing. Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Kenneth Nale of South River Police Department at (732) 254-9002 X123 or Sergeant Jonathan Berman of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-4328.
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