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WILKES-BARRE — City police charged a West Pittston man with fleeing the scene after striking a pedestrian who was seriously injured.
Nigel Shawn Whitehead, 24, was arraigned by District Judge Alexandra Kokura Kravitz of Pittston on four counts of accidents involving death or personal injury, and one count each of failure to stop and render aid, careless driving and driving without a license. Whitehead was released on $25,000 unsecured bail.
Police said the hit and run happened at Coal Street and North Wilkes-Barre Boulevard on Oct. 3.
According to the criminal complaint:
Timothy Heller was walking across Coal Street in a crosswalk when he was struck by a blue-colored pickup truck at about 11:16 a.m. The truck made a left turn onto Coal Street from North Wilkes-Barre Boulevard when Heller was struck.
Heller was thrown approximately 20 feet before he landed on the ground. Heller was transported to a local hospital for severe injuries, the complaint says.
A woman at the traffic light witnessed and told police the truck briefly stopped before fleeing the scene on Coal Street.
Police obtained surveillance footage in the area and identified the truck as a blue 2017 Dodge Ram registered to Whitehead, the complaint says.
During an interview with police, Whitehead admitted he struck the pedestrian and fled the scene because he was scared, according to the complaint.
In an unrelated case, Whitehead was charged by Wyoming Area Regional Police on allegations he sold 30 Percocet tablets in an apartment complex on Schooley Avenue on Oct. 25, court records say.
As police approached Whitehead, he ran away on foot and was captured.
Wyoming Area Regional Police charged Whitehead with evading arrest, possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal use of communication facility. Charges of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance and tampering with evidence were dismissed at a preliminary hearing on Dec. 4.