A 20-year-old woman, who Hobart police said fled the scene after striking and killing a pedestrian in December, was arrested Wednesday in Puerto Rico.
Hobart police credited help from the U.S. Marshals Service Great Lake Fugitive Task Force and the Puerto Rico Violent Offender Task Force in the arrest of Robelis Soto-Echevarria.
She was charged Jan. 17 in Lake Superior Court with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death or catastrophic injury to another person, a Level 4 felony.
Police identified the victim as Richard Hunt, 59, of Lake Station. Police believe he was walking along the roadway in the 6700 block of East 37th Avenue when he was struck by a westbound vehicle.
Police found his body lying on the embankment off the side of the road. Police believe he was struck in the early hours of Dec. 26. Police found his body at 7:12 a.m. Dec. 27.
Investigators determined from vehicle debris left at the scene that the suspect vehicle was a gray 2005-2010 Honda Odyssey.
Police said they received a tip from a local auto parts dealer that someone bought replacement parts for the vehicle’s passenger side headlight on Dec. 27.
Investigators located the 2007 Honda Odyssey inside a garage in Gary. It had sustained damage consistent with evidence found at the scene, police said.
Investigators were able to piece together a timeline from a thorough review of video surveillance and talking to witnesses.
Hobart police also credited the Lake Station Police and the Lake County Crash Reconstruction team with assisting in the investigation.
Carole Carlson is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
