Driver charged in Christmas Eve hit-and-run on I-279
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — A driver was charged in connection with a hit-and-run crash on I-279 that police said left a man without his leg and led to another collision that injured responding troopers on Christmas Eve.
Jeremy Michael Smith is facing a felony charge of accidents involving injury as well as multiple other traffic violations, Pennsylvania State Police announced on Wednesday.
Just after midnight on Christmas Eve morning, Trooper Rocco Gagliardi said a Ford Focus became disabled in the lanes of traffic on I-279 near the Mcknight Road exit. He said the driver and a passerby had started to push the vehicle out of the traffic lanes when a black Dodge Ram 1500 hit the driver and the suspect drove away from the scene.
The driver of the Ford Focus who was hit by the fleeing pickup truck lost his leg, Gagliardi said, and his family helped crack the case.
"It became pretty adamant to the family that they really wanted to get answers for most of their questions, so we decided to all come together with the family, with crime, and patrol and really try to tackle and see if we can find out who was driving this black Ram truck at that time," said Gagliardi.
The victim's family offered a reward for answers and people from the community started to come forward with information about Smith and his truck.
"Some tips came into our patrol and criminal divisions early in January when that reward system was released of pictures that were sent in from the truck driver's phone, pictures of the damage that the operator took. So that was shone to light. There were also some messages that were Bragging to friends about the crash that he was involved in," Gagliardi said.
Gagliardi shared some of the text messages he said were sent to Smith.
"Which says, this idiot in front of me must have hit the guy in front of him and slammed on his brakes on 279 middle of the highway. I swerved and sideswiped him. In a following text saying, I was drinking so didn't stop, wasn't even drunk either, was switching bars," he said.
While troopers were responding to the hit-and-run, investigators said a Toyota 4Runner hit a State Police vehicle that had its emergency lights activated, sending two troopers to the hospital with minor injuries. That driver stayed at the scene.
State Police said they were able to Smith's truck back to him using debris from the scene. They also said license plate readers showed his truck wasn't damaged before the crash but was hours later.
Between the tips and evidence from license plate readers, Troopers teamed up with Ross Township police to look at body shops and search for the truck, which they seized for evidence.
Gagliardi said the victim's family is feeling relieved they have some answers.
"A bigger sigh of relief to kind of know they can move forward in a more positive direction than where they were a day or two ago," he said.
Gagliardi said if Smith doesn't turn himself in, a warrant will be issued for his arrest.