by
Jim Hague, Reporter staff writer
Hudson Reporter
May 26, 2000 | 608 views | 0

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North Bergen police are trying to piece together the events of the last hours of a 27-year-old Hoboken man who was apparently struck and killed by at least two hit-and-run drivers outside a popular Tonnelle Avenue nightclub early last Friday morning. According to the police, the body of Ricky Huggins was found at 4:22 a.m. last Friday lying near the McDonald's on Tonnelle Avenue, adjacent to the Club Millennium, where Huggins apparently was earlier Thursday night. Huggins was last spotted talking to friends at the club, which held a popular dance party attended by several hundred patrons around the club's 2 a.m. closing time. It is uncertain what transpired after the club closed and the elapsed two hours after closing, when Huggins's body was spotted by witnesses. Club officials declined comment, only to say that they were led to believe that Huggins was one of the club's patrons that night. "We don't know what happened to him," said a man who identified himself as a manager of the club. "We believe he was here. People have told us that he was here. Our workers don't know for sure. It's unfortunate that he had that terrible accident." Police have no idea how Huggins ended up in the middle of oncoming traffic on Tonnelle Avenue. He was apparently struck in the northbound lanes of the road by an unidentified vehicle, which obviously did not stop after striking him. One witness stated that Huggins was already struck by another vehicle and was lying in the road, when he was then struck by a tractor trailer, who apparently never saw Huggins lying in the middle of Tonnelle Avenue and simply kept going. A representative from the state's regional Medical Examiner's office pronounced Huggins dead on the scene at 5:37 a.m. Friday. He was not immediately identified because no wallet or ID was found on him. Police later had to identify him through fingerprints. Huggins' family was notified upon positive identification. "We don't know if he had already been hit by a first car or if he had fallen into the road, then was hit by the truck," said Lt. Joseph Bode. "No vehicles stopped. The truck driver may not have even noticed that he hit someone or even felt it." As of press time Thursday morning, police had no other details about the accident. Huggins was one of 10 children. His younger brother, Donnie, was a standout football player at Hoboken High School a few years ago. Traffic investigators are asking anyone who might have any information concerning the accident to call North Bergen police at 392-2100. All information will be kept confidential and calls can be made 24 hours a day.