Parsippany mayor calling for help after 8-year-old died in NJ

PARSIPPANY TOWNSHIP, N.J. (PIX11) -- Parsippany Mayor James Barberio is calling on Morris County and the NJ DOT to partner with the town on traffic safety following the death of 8-year-old Avyaan Gupta. 

Gupta was hit and killed by a car while riding his bike Tuesday evening on Littleton Road, just blocks away from home. 

“They lost the most precious thing that God gives you, and that’s a child,” said Mayor Barberio. 

Falit Seghal, a neighbor who knows the boy’s family, described Littleton Road as very busy. 

“Cars come up there with speed,” said Sehgal. “They also can’t see the road ahead of time because it curves down, then goes up.” 

“This is a very busy area, and I wouldn’t be comfortable letting my kids go onto the roads,” said mom Sudha Basupalli. 

Gupta’s death marks the third pedestrian fatality and the fourth traffic-related in Parsippany since the spring. 

According to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, 73-year-old Sonia Diaz of Bayonne was hit and killed on April 8th while trying to cross Route 46. On May 6th, a 36-year-old driver was killed in a car crash on West Hanover Avenue. On June 6th, 55-year-old Gerald Calcagno of Bloomfield was hit and killed on Route 46. 

“Every major highway goes through Parsippany,” said Mayor Barberio. 

Parsippany lies at the crossroads of several major roadways, including I-80, I-287, I-280, and Routes 46, 202, 10, and 53. 

Barberio wants to collaborate with Morris County and the NJ DOT to enhance safety measures on Parsippany roads. 

“I want them to implement more signage,” said Barberio. He said Parsippany Police will also be out in full force. 

“We’re going to be out monitoring, ticketing,” said Barberio. “Whoever is texting is gonna get tickets.” 

In a statement to PIX11 News, a DOT Spokesperson wrote: 

“The death of Avyaan is a tragedy.  We extend our deepest sympathies to Avyaan’s family and the Parsippany community.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation stands ready to assist the Mayor and Morris County Officials to fund bicycle and pedestrian safety improvements through its Local Resource Center and the many grant opportunities available to ensure that tragedies like Avyaan’s never happen again.”

A DOT spokesperson also told PIX11 News that the commissioner contacted Mayor Barberio on Friday.