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Chloe Villar-Severino, 31, was struck by an SUV in the parking lot of the Aldi on Lakeview Avenue on Tuesday, authorities said.
Villar-Severino, who owned and operated Ruff Lyfe, died the next day at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, they said.
“My heart is broken to a million pieces on the passing of my beautiful daughter,” wrote her mother, Esther Velez.
Digna A. Lazala, 63, of Randolph, was driving the 2010 Honda Pilot that struck Villar-Severino, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Clifton Police Chief Thomas Rinaldi said in a joint release.
Lazala told police, however, that she "was not involved in the collision,” they said, adding that an investigation found otherwise.
Valdes and Rinaldi provided few details about the accident itself. They said Lazala was charged with obstruction and hindering the investigation and summonses for careless driving and failing to report an accident.
Because obstruction and hindering are disorderly persons offenses, Lazala wasn’t jailed.
The case now goes to a grand jury to determine whether there is enough evidence to proceed, whether the case should continue with the current charges or whether additional or more serious charges are warranted. If convicted of the current charges, the most serious penalty Lazala could face is six months in jail.
Villar-Severino, formerly Chloe Velez, was married to Clark Villar-Severino three years ago.
She held a variety of job while operating her business, which provided dog boarding, sitting, walking and grooming, among other premium pet care services, and completed a Bachelor of Science degree this year, records show.
Shock mixed with profound grief as word of Villar-Severino’s death spread among loved ones, friends and customers.
"Chloe was a beautiful soul and I thank God to have known and watched her grow into the beautiful woman she became," Nanci Rivas Adams told Esther Velez on Facebook.
Amid the overwhelming pain, the grieving mother said she holds the hope of being reunited with her daughter in Heaven.
“God prepared me without my knowing what was going to happen with a conversation that we had about a week ago that assured me I would see her again,” she wrote. “I know that God will not give me any more than I can take.”
“Please pray for my wonderful Son in Love who was the best Husband that GOD could have chosen for my daughter,” Velez added. “[T]hey were definitely Soulmates, meant for each other in every way.
“Pray that GOD will sustain him and his wonderful family in every way, especially his Mom who loved my daughter with the Love of a Mom. Pray for my family my Son my Mom, my sister and all others.
“I thank God for my two nieces Jacqueline Torres and Selina Velez who have been our eyes and ears when we just can’t take anymore,” she added. “And all Chloe’s friends who have been there from the beginning Marianna, Kim, Chanel, Adri and many more.
“I thank God for Clark’s friends who have been with us especially Andrew and Hernan who have not left my Son in Loves side.”
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