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Family Of Boy Killed In Jersey City Traffic Accident Says They Tried To Make Street Safer

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- The painful loss of a young boy in a Jersey City traffic accident has only been made worse because his family says they desperately tried to make the street safer.

As CBS2's Hazel Sanchez reported, it pains Jermaine Woodward to retrace his son's last steps before he was fatally struck by a car on Bostwick Avenue.

"He goes to step, like I said, to check to see if the cars coming. He steps in the bike lane. Stupid idiot comes and boom. I'm in the bike lane. If I'm in the bike lane, no cars should be in here," he said.

According to witnesses, two cars were speeding down the street when one car car hit 8-year-old Jermaine Jr. and drove off. Then, the second car hit him.

That driver stayed at the scene, Sanchez reported.

Mayor Steven Fulop went to console the family and said police had immediately identified both drivers.

"They were brothers and one left in order to get another family member. And we know who both cars are and the actors are, and what happened," Fulop said. "And it's going to be pursued from that standpoint. So to say that somebody hasn't been apprehended or it was a hit-and-run, that's just not accurate information."

"One thing we're not going to do is downplay it. The way you saying it, is saying like 'oh he went to go get somebody.' That's not how it happened," Corey Burton, Jermaine Jr.'s uncle, responded to Mayor Fulop.

Jermaine Jr.'s family said they know the driver and they want him to be held accountable for his actions or failure to act.

"You did something wrong. You're supposed to stand there and say 'I did something wrong,' not run," said Woodward Sr.

Neighbors recently put up a make-shift bump and police installed a radar with the hope of slowing traffic down.

Jermaine Jr.'s father said the accident should never have happened.

"Two to three weeks ago, we petitioned for speed bumps on the block. They didn't give us speed bumps. They gave us these white lines, that's a bike lane. That's where my son got killed at," he said. "I can't question God. I guess he needed an angel. I guess he needed an angel. But why my angel."

Hudson County prosecutors are reviewing evidence in the case. So far, no charges have been filed.

Fulop said a study needs to be done before speed bumps can be installed on Bostwick Avenue.

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