The Norristown man who was wanted by the Montgomery County District Attorney and Norristown Police for his alleged role in a fatal hit-and-run the night of May 19 in the borough turned himself in to authorities Saturday morning, police announced Saturday afternoon.
An arrest warrant was issued Thursday for Jean Carlos Esmeraldas Cruz, 26, who is accused of hitting Brian Clark, 57, of Norristown, with his SUV, as Clark was walking on Main Street. Police said Cruz fled the scene and then had a friend help him cover up the vehicle with a sheet a short distance from the scene of the crime.
Cruz is charged with accidents involving injury or death, accidents involving injury or death while unlicensed, failure to stop and render aid, failure to notify police, and driving without a license, police said.
He was arraigned Saturday before Magisterial District Judge Douglas H. Lavenberg, who set bail at $100,000 cash, with passport surrender, police said.
At 10:48 p.m. May 19, 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.
A preliminary hearing is set for June 7 before Magisterial District Judge Todd N. Barnes, according to court documents.
All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.
