According to reports, a 21-year-old man was driving near a 16-year-old jogger when he ran into her with his car. He reportedly told authorities that he knew he hit her, stopped his vehicle and got out, but then ran from the scene when he saw that she was badly injured.
That left the young jogger lying on the side of the road, without medical assistance, until a child in a passing car saw her and alerted the adult driver. The authorities were then called and responded to the scene.
The young woman was already unconscious and badly injured. She was taken to a medical center, but she was later declared brain dead and passed away.
The man was arrested, and police said his damaged vehicle made it appear he’d run into someone even before his confession. He was a delivery driver for Domino’s Pizza. Authorities who responded found his Domino’s hat near the girl’s body, which he dropped when he got out.
He did try to tell police that he’d never hit anyone, claiming he ran into a deer. However, he only held to that claim for a few minutes before he changed his tune and told police he was the one who ran into the jogger.
As part of the investigation, the city is going to look at how much lighting there is in the area where the accident happened, noting that some parts of the road do not have much and could compromise visibility.
When a loved one is killed, it’s important for family members to know if they have a right to compensation for medical costs, funeral costs and much more.
Source: Temple Daily Telegram, “Arrest affidavit says suspect left accident victim lying in street,” Deborah McKeon, Jan. 25, 2018
