Jean Carlos Essmeraldas Cruz, 26, of Norristown.
An arrest warrant was issued Thursday for a Norristown man charged with accidents involving death or personal injury stemming from a crash on Sunday that killed a 57-year-old pedestrian, according to Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele.
Norristown Police and Montgomery County detectives are seeking the whereabouts of Jean Carlos Esmeraldas Cruz, 26, of Dekalb Street, who authorities allege killed Brian Clark of Norristown by striking him with his SUV and then speeding away from the scene.
At 10:48 p.m. Sunday, Norristown Police responded to a hit-and-run crash on the 300 block of West Main Street in the borough, where it was reported a pedestrian was struck by a vehicle, police said.
Upon arrival, police found Clark lying in the roadway, suffering from multiple injuries and in cardiac arrest, police said. Clark was taken to Einstein Montgomery Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to police.
Using surveillance video that recorded traffic a short distance from the crash, investigators found footage of a dark-colored SUV with a broken headlight and damage to the windshield consistent with striking a pedestrian, police said.
On Monday, Norristown Police located and recovered a black Hyundai Sante Fe parked on East Wood Street that was covered with a sheet to conceal damage to its left front end and windshield, police said.
Human hair, according to investigators, was found within the damaged windshield. Detectives also viewed surveillance footage that showed two men exiting the SUV and returning to cover the vehicle with a sheet, police said.
Detectives found the passenger in the SUV, who they said helped Cruz conceal the Hyundai with the sheet following the crash.
Police said Cruz was driving the SUV eastbound on Main Street, when he struck Clark, and then sped away from the scene down Main Street, turning on Markley Street.
Cruz and his passenger, police said, returned to the scene on foot to watch detectives investigate the crash and later witness the recovery of the vehicle by police, after which, Cruz fled.
The SUV was registered to Jean Landscaping LLC and police said Cruz is unlicensed.
Cruz is described as a Hispanic male, with brown hair and brown eyes, 5 feet 6 inches tall, weighing 140 pounds, police said.
Call Montgomery County detectives at 610-226-5553 or Norristown Police at 610-270-0977 with any information on Cruz’s whereabouts.
