That's horrible. RIP young man. Prayers to you and your family.

As residents of Main Street we are all too familiar with the excessive speeding at all hours of the day. Our prayers and condolences to the family and may the victim rest in peace.

Lou is my neighbor. He was a hard working man who was always with his loving wife, children and grandchildren. It breaks my heart to say goodbye. May he rest in peace and the angels in heaven welcome him home with open arms.

My condolences to the family.

I see he must have been operating the Lift GATE on his Box truck, not a Fork Lift. If the girl was headed east, she was looking right into the sun at that time of the morning.

They've got Laurel Avenue so fouled-up you can't use it.....Middle Road is becoming the Parkway.

Main street is so dangerous and there is never a cop patrolling this street. Down by the 4 way stop people blow through the stop sign all the time. Also it's even worse by Sungate Deli where there is a park with kids there. They speed so much over there and Never a cop patrolling there either.

the problem arent the cops patrolling .this area has grown in leaps in the last ten years. ten times the amount of cars the infastructure isnt there to suport the traffic and everyone taking back road shortcuts.

My condolences go out to the family of Crisitello. Sadly, when speed is a contributing factor to a fatality, the community needs to ask if it is willing to take steps to "traffic calm" the area. http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/speedmgt/traffic_calm.cfm

Such decisions should be done by the community affected by speeding, and if done, should be done as part of general plan for dealing with traffic issues in a municipality. Sadly, the lack of any planning around traffic issues, has cost a life.

It was only a matter of time before something like this happened. Its pretty much a free for all down Main, Harmony, Murphy, etc. I have yet to see a cop pull someone over in the surrounding area (Harmony, Main, Murphy) in the five years we have lived here. I have spoken with the LT in charge of traffic safety in Middletown and he assured me that the streets were safe but that they would look into some more patrols in the area. I've seen none.

With Harmony Elementary School and Thorne in such a close proximity to many neighborhoods many children are forced to walk to school and its a huge safety issue. I have seen kids run of the road on their bikes and nearly hit at crosswalks. All the Police Department needs to do is set up shop at Harmony/Main in an unmarked car and watch all the stuff that goes on there maybe then they will get an idea of just how insane the situation has come to be. No one follows the rules and this is what happens, people get hit. Middeltown PD is to blame for letting this BS carry on for so long.

Yes, forced as in the school will not pick them up. I am OK with that, I do not expect busses to pick them up and there are some parents that have work too early to drive the students in so they walk. People drive like idiots, that's the problem. Folks who walk these roads, drive and live on them have complained for years. Now we have a fatality, which we still do not know was caused by speeding ($20 it is) its time now though that people start taking the conditions seriously.

One safety tip is to get rid of the 4 way stop and put a light in. Way too many close calls there.

marylou, I said " I do not expect busses to pick them up" The issue is not how kids get to school; walk, bike, airplane, etc the issue is that people in Middletown drive like unabated morons and the Townships inability to ever deal with the issue.

I live right at the street where it happend, people are always speeding up main street, and yes the sun glare is HORRIABLE.....its not the police fault, this man lost his life because of another driver who cant obey traffic speed limits....I have lived in this house for 30 years and yes the police do not patrol as much as they should but it because its pretty safe here....that is the first time someone was hit....I did the victim but i did know some of his family...it is sad and tragic! Just make it a lesson: DRIVE SAFE

Shoregirl,people are assuming that the young driver was speeding or was otherwise at fault because the poor man died.I wasn't there and don't know either of these people.The fact is that sometimes,the pedestrian is distracted.

I do not think anyone is accusing the driver of being wreckless, especially since the fatality is still being investigated, but any of the local residents savvy to the area will, in fact, point out that speeding is a serious issue on Main Street. Even as a driver in the car, you have to worry about the speeding from behind as you slow down to make a turn into a street or driveway. I am one to turn on my blinker in advance to get into my driveway or to turn, i.e., onto Murphy Road because the cars in the rear view mirror look like they are going to smack right into my vehicle- and more than once, they have come TOO close. The point of the schools and the playground in close proximity IS a VERY VALID point. No one said forced bussing is the answer, @marylou, but pedestrians should not have to feel intimated by using the sidewalks that are there for them.

OK maybe forced was bad word, how about "have to" walk? Anyway, I do not feel safe walking even on the sidewalks down Harmony, the speed I see some of these drivers go that low curb and no shoulder provides zero protection to anyone walking.

I am in shock! I am a client of Lou's lawn service. What a senseless lose of life. This just proves that we do not know what tomorrow will bring us. Live and love for today. May Lou rest in peace. He was an extremely hard worker and took pride in his work and family. Prayers and thoughts are with the Crisitello family.

Karen Robertson

Such a shame, my prayers go out to the gentlemen and his family. I am so thankful that the kids had off Monday or they would of seen this tragedy. I live on Phillips Mills and the kids that go to Middletown North get the bus where this happened. The bottom line is people need to slow down no matter what st they are driving on.

I worked for Lou and I have never seen a more hard working man devoted farther grandfather and Loving husband you were a grate boss and friend rest in peace Lou the Palermo Family

I have to say that the sun glare at that time in the morning is really bad. When I turn onto Main Street you cannot even see ahead of you. The street is not that wide and when a box truck is pulled over on the side with the horrible sun glare, I can see how the poor man was hit. I feel very badly for him and his family. It's an awful tragedy. I don't think it's a good idea for landscaping trucks to stop on main roads like this. Pull down a side street and unload your mowers, etc. I also feel badly for the poor girl who hit him. I hope speed or phone use wasn't the issue because I'm sure she must feel terrible about this.

my sister saw the whole thing and speeding isnt the reason it the texting while driving is what caused it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

If anyone knows any witnesses, please have them call the middletown police at 732-615-2043. The family appreciates your help.

U people. Shouldn't. Make accusations on the young. Girl who was driving. She has to live with this the rest of her life. She is a single mother. Working. To support. Her children. She is emotionally distraught. Over this accident. It was a terrible. Accident

Shouldn't. Cast stones. On anyone its a shame what happened. To the man feel sorry for the family. Any event shouldn't. Criticize the girl she hasn't. Been. Charged with anything. Goes to show it was a terrible tragedy. My thoughts with her and his family

Comment for. Denise manges if your sister saw the whole. Thing then she should. Talk to the police

The girl had no insurance on her car. Violation 1
The girl driving illegally Violation 2
Hits someone and leaves scene of accident. Violation 3
On the cell texting and driving violation 4

She is not 17 or 18 a new driver.
She is 22. Been driving over 5 yrs and how long without insurance and no care of others.
She should of been more compassionate and stayed there to comfort the injured then to leave him die .
Sun glare played into the day, but just the fact you had no insurnce Nd was driving KNOWInG you we're breaking the law us consider premeditated.
Now a Family is without Father and another family is suffering because this girl thought she was above the law by not having insurance on her car.
She may be young and it could of been accidental.
But the one simple fact! She was driving with no insurance that is a violation. Who knows how long she has been doing that?
It could of been me or you that day. You can't prevent a accident, but you are required to have the proper documents to drive. Otherwise DON'T DRIVE!
To be so heartless and cold to leave a person after you hit them to die alone. That's a cold killer
Lets see if she gets away with this
Because if any other person was driving with no documents
We would be thrown in jail and impound the car.
Seems fishy how this story has no follow-up .
It's a simple dry case!

Lou was my cousin, and I cannot believe that his beautiful life was ended in this horrific manner. He will be missed very much, by me and everyone who know him.
With great sadness I remember our childhood together. Antoinette

i wonder if the officer in Holdel by the name of sasso is related to her?

It's January 17, 2013 and there still no police report and no charges against the driver who fled the scene with a broken windshield.