Hillsdale Man Charged in Crash That Flipped Car

Police arrested a 54-year-old Hillsdale man on charges he caused a car crash in Westwood Monday morning that seriously injured another driver, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said Monday.

Michael Baba allegedly ran a red light while driving west on Washington Avenue in a Toyota Camry, colliding with a Ford Explorer driven by 46-year-old Belleville resident Niall O’Hagan, Molinelli said in a release. The crash caused the SUV to flip onto its roof in a nearby yard.

O'Hagan was flown to Hackensack University Medical Center by medevac helicopter and Baba was driven there by ambulance, according to Molinelli.

The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit conducted a joint investigation with Westwood Police, which is still ongoing, according to Molinelli. Blood and urine samples were taken from Baba for toxicological examination.

Baba was charged with assault by auto, a fourth degree crime. He was also issued several motor vehicles summonses including reckless driving, failure to obey a traffic control device and unregistered motor vehicle. He is still at HUMC and is due in municipal court July 24 for arraignment.