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Dolores Voris also must under a medical evaluation by the state Motor Vehicle Commission if she wants to get her driver's license back, Saddle Brook Police Chief Robert Kugler said.
Voris was pulling into a parking spot at 11:40 a.m. this past Thursday when her 2010 Chevrolet Malibu jumped the curb and hit a pillar outside the Spencer Savings Bank at the Terra Mini Mall, spinning the sedan around.
Voris then accelerated, and the Malibu knocked down Joseph Bonnano Sr., a grandfather of six who emigrated from Italy when he was 21.
The car dragged him into a garbage can and a second pillar, killing him instantly.
"It looked like she didn't know she hit him at first," a witness told Daily Voice, "until she got out of the car."
Bonnano's wife of 57 years, Concetta, and two of their children came to the Market Street scene, responders said.
Voris, meanwhile, was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center to be evaluated, the chief said.
Kugler's funeral home is handling arrangements for Bonnano, who owned and operated Joseph Bonanno Custom Tailor Shop in Fair Lawn and then later in Wyckoff for several years, retiring in 2014.
A 10:30 a.m. funeral Mass was scheduled at St. Philip the Apostle Church at 10:30 a.m. interment in St. Mary’s Cemetery in Saddle Brook.
ARRANGEMENTS: Kugler Community Home for Funerals: Joseph Bonnano Sr.
PHOTOS by Cecilia Levine
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The MVC does not target a specific group of drivers and retest them, Kugler noted.
MVC does have a medical review process, which is done on a case-by-case basis, he said. That process covers any illness or medical condition that could impair a person's ability to safely drive, regardless of the driver's age.
Since a medical review could result in a person's license being suspended or limited, the MVC will not accept anonymous reports, the chief said. The Medical Review unit takes referrals from doctors, police, courts, social workers and family members, he said.
Physicians are required by law to notify MVC if a patient suffers from recurring seizures, periods of unconsciousness or loss of coordination resulting from conditions such as epilepsy.
Based on that information, the MVC can require the driver to be examined by a physician, who fills out forms supplied by the MVC. Failure to respond to this request and return medical forms in 45 days will result in suspension of that driver's license.
The MVC decides the next step, based on information from the medical forms, which can range from no action to an indefinite suspension.
About 55% of the cases referred to the unit are reviewed by doctors on the MVC's Medical Advisory Panel, which makes a decision based on information provided by the physician. That process takes about three to four weeks.
The outcome can range from suspension, restricted driving privileges, a re-exam, or monitoring and reporting of the driver's medical condition.
Rehabilitation that can help a driver deal with a medical or cognitive issue also can be ordered. Drivers can appeal the decision, but appealing will not stop a license suspension.
MVC officials also suggest options for drivers with diminished abilities such as driving only during daylight hours and driving on roads with speeds under 50 mph.
Organizations such as AAA offer self-exams for senior drivers and a website to educate older motorists about how their skills change with age.
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