Orange Park, FL : 18-year-old pedestrian critical after hit-and-run crash on Blanding Boulevard near Wells Road on Monday evening, July 6, 2015
An 18-year-old Orange Park man is in critical condition after being hit by a car while he was crossing Blanding Boulevard Monday evening.
The Florida Highway Patrol said a green Buick was traveling northbound on Blanding Boulevard near Wells Road and hit Mathew Maloney, while he was walking in the crosswalk.
The driver of the Buick then fled the scene, traveling northbound after hitting Maloney. The car was found later by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, abandoned in a local business parking lot near Blanding Boulevard and Youngerman Circle.
Investigators later determined that same car was reported to the Clay County Sheriff’s Office stolen a few hours before the crash.
That stolen vehicle report provided the information needed to track down the driver, 37-year-old Erick Roenisch, who was arrested and charged with grand theft auto.
It is still under investigation whether speed, alcohol, or other distractions were involved in the crash.
Maloney was taken to UF Health Jacksonville with life-threatening injures.
Roenisch will also likely be charged with leaving the scene of a traffic crash resulting in injury/death, driving while license suspended/revoked, and other related charges, according to FHP.
Roenisch has a long list of arrests and traffic citations in Clay County. He’s been arrested for purse-snatching and twice for forgery. He's had four traffic citations for failure to obey traffic sign, three charges of driving with a suspended license, three charges of driving with expired registration and one speeding citation.
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18-year-old pedestrian critical after hit-and-run