Jersey City family of woman killed in hit-and-run makes plea for driver to contact police

By Charles Hack/The Jersey Journal
April 25, 2010, 3:50PM

"The driver is not supposed to run over my mom and drive away," said Concepcion's daughter-in-law, Minda Guce, 36, of Union. "He is supposed to make sure she is brought to the hospital not to leave her there like that."

Concepcion was struck and killed by a silver SUV as she crossed Route 139 at a traffic light on Oakland Avenue at around 5:34 a.m., Police spokesman Lt. Edgar Martinez said.

Family members said Concepcion, who lives with them on Laidlaw Avenue -- five blocks from where the hit-and-run occurred -- was on her way to a Filipino restaurant at Newark Avenue and Summit Avenue where she worked weekends making pastries to help her niece, the owner of the business.

Police responded to the scene and found Concepcion in the westbound lane of the highway. She was declared dead at the scene, Martinez said.

Martinez said police interviewed witnesses, but he declined to give more of a description of the vehicle or say what state license plates were on the car. He also declined to say if police have any video evidence of what happened.

"We will leave no stone unturned until we find this individual. This is callous act in total disregard to human life," Police Director Sam Jefferson said.

Concepcion lived with her sister Susie Berberabe, 63, and youngest son Roger Guce, 38.
Concepcion who comes from San Jose in the Batangas Province in the Philippines had five children who she raised alone after her husband died when she was pregnant with Roger Guce.

She came to the United States eight years ago to be with her two sons and five grandchildren.

"She was very, very loving," her son Jimmy Guce, 41, a resident of Union. "She was always very helpful with me, my family and friends."

Two of Concepcion's other children, Lordes Cometa, 47, and Emeliaro Guce, 44, still live in the Philippines. Her eldest daughter, Gloria Moreno, died several years ago at 49 yeas old. Conception also had 17 grandchildren and one great grandchild.

A Catholic, she attended both St. Joseph's Church on Pavonia Avenue and St. John's the Baptist Church on Kennedy Boulevard, family members said.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call police at (201) 547-JAIL.

A viewing will be held Wednesday, 5 to 9 p.m. at Greenville Memorial Home, 374 Danforth Ave., Jersey City. Concepcion's body will be buried in the Philippines.

JERSEY CITY, NJ (WABC) -- Police in Jersey City are looking for the hit-and-run driver who killed a pedestrian early Saturday morning.

It happened on Oakland Avenue around 5:30 am.

Police say a woman was crossing the street when she was mowed down by a silver-colored SUV that never slowed or stopped. The victim was identified as Maria Concepcion, a resident of Jersey City.

Jersey City police are asking anyone who may have witnessed this fatal hit and run to give them a call.

Just heard on Eyewitness News that Police are looking for a Silver Suv who struck and killed a 50 year old Jersey City Woman.

I noticed police activity this morning driving thru there about 6:30 today and was wondering why both sides were closed around there. Now I know. :(

Btw there was Nothing about this from the JJ.. Great job reporting local news.