NORRISTOWN — Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and Norristown Police Chief Jacqueline Bailey-Davis on Saturday announced the arrest of Jean Carlos Emeraldas Cruz, 26, who turned himself in to police after an arrest warrant was issued in the hit-and-run death of a pedestrian on May 19.
The fatal crash happened at approximately 10:48 p.m. in the 300 block of West Main Street near Astor Street in Norristown when pedestrian Brian Clark, 57, of Norristown was struck by a vehicle driven by the defendant, police said.
The vehicle then fled the scene. Norristown Police located and recovered Cruz’ Hyundai Santa Fe parked on East Wood Street on May 20. The vehicle, which was registered to Jean Landscaping, LLC, was covered with a sheet to conceal the damage to its left front end and windshield, according to police.
Human hair was found within the damaged windshield. The investigation also found that Cruz did not have a driver’s license, police said.
Cruz, of the 1000 block of DeKalb Street, Norristown, is charged with accidents involving death or personal injury, or hit-and-run, accidents involving death or personal injury while not properly licensed, duty to give information and render aid, failing to notify police of an accident and driving without a license.
He was arraigned by Magisterial District Judge Douglas H. Lavenberg, who set bail at $100,000 cash, with a condition that he must surrender his passport if released. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9:30 a.m., June 7, 2024, before Magisterial District Judge Todd N. Barnes.
The investigation began when Norristown police responded to the 300 block of West Main Street for report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle. Arriving officers found Clark lying in the median area of the roadway “with multiple injuries and in cardiac arrest,” according to the criminal complaint filed by county Detective Charles Farrell and Norristown Detective William Klinger.
A witness told police that Clark had been struck by a dark colored sports utility vehicle and that the driver immediately fled at a high rate of speed eastbound on West Main Street and then northbound on Markley Street. The witness reported the vehicle sustained damage to the driver’s side headlamp and officers found vehicle debris on the roadway, according to court documents.
Detectives obtained footage from multiple surveillance cameras in the area of the crash and observed the striking vehicle to have a non-functioning driver’s side headlamp and damage to the windshield “consistent with striking a pedestrian.”
Clark was transported to Einstein Montgomery Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
An autopsy determined Clark died from multiple injuries and the manner of death was ruled accident.
On May 20, borough police observed a black Hyundai Santa Fe vehicle parked on East Wood Street near Arch Street, that “had a sheet covering the windshield and hood that concealed damage to the left front end and windshield,” detectives alleged.
“The damage sustained to this Hyundai was consistent with the fatal hit-and-run of Brian Clark and suspected human hair was observed within the damaged windshield,” Farrell and Klinger alleged, adding authorities impounded the vehicle.
The investigation determined that the vehicle was registered to Jean Landscaping, LLC that was linked to the DeKalb Street address where Cruz resided in an apartment with his girlfriend and children. Detectives attempted to make contact with Cruz at the apartment without success.
Detectives located surveillance video that depicted two men exit the damaged vehicle after parking in the 200 block of East Wood Street at 11:09 p.m. May 19. The men returned to the vehicle at 11:13 p.m. and covered the windshield and front of the vehicle with a sheet, according to the criminal complaint.
A search of the vehicle uncovered evidence inside that led them to an East Wood Street man who subsequently informed detectives he was a front seat passenger in the vehicle operated by Cruz, who he knew as “Jean,” at the time the vehicle struck Clark, court documents indicate.
The passenger told detectives that he heard Cruz scream and attempt to stop but struck a pedestrian. The passenger claimed Cruz stated that he did not have a license and drove from the scene without stopping.
“(The passenger) stated that Jean was well aware that he struck a person,” Farrell and Klinger alleged.
After parking the vehicle on East Wood Street and covering it with a sheet, Cruz and the passenger walked to the crash scene to determine what was occurring. The passenger told detectives that he and Cruz also witnessed police recover the Hyundai vehicle on May 21, according to the arrest affidavit.
Later, Cruz allegedly told the passenger that he “had to leave” with his girlfriend and their children.
Detectives attempted to make contact with Cruz again at his DeKalb Street apartment on May 22. At that time, neighbors stated they had not seen Cruz, his girlfriend, their children, or their dog since May 20, which was not typical, according to the arrest affidavit.
Cruz’ employer at a local landscaping company told detectives that Cruz contacted the company on May 20 and informed the employer he would not be reporting to work as he “had a family emergency,” according to the criminal complaint.
The charge of accidents involving death or personal injury can carry a mandatory sentence of three years in prison upon conviction.
