WEST HAZLETON — A Hazleton man was arraigned Tuesday on vehicular homicide charges in the fatal hit-and-run of a man on West 22nd Street in West Hazleton in Dec. 2025.
Police in West Hazleton allege Thomas Michael Vercusky, 59, of West 19th Street, fled the scene after striking Fausto Hernandez-Perez, 59, on the sidewalk on Dec. 14, according to court records.
Vercusky, operating a 2017 Dodge dual-wheel truck with a snowplow, claimed he fell asleep when he mounted the curb, court records say.
Vercusky was arraigned by District Judge Ferris Webby of Wright Township on charges of homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter, accidents involving death, accidents involving damage, and reckless driving. He was released on $25,000 unsecured bail.
According to the criminal complaint:
A passerby located Hernandez-Perez with injuries in the area of West 22nd and Penn streets at about 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 14. Hernandez-Perez was transported to an area hospital, where he died on Dec. 28, 2025.
Police in the complaint say surveillance footage showed a white Dodge dual-wheel truck with a snowplow jump the curb, strike Hernandez-Perez and a brick retaining wall, and flee the scene.
Police located the truck in the 1000 block of West 17th Street, Hazleton, which is registered to Vercusky.
The truck had recent damage, including a flat front tire, broken plastic, and brick debris on its snowplow blade, when it struck the brick wall, the complaint says.
During an interview with police, the complaint says Vercusky admitted he was driving the truck when he fell asleep, jumped the curb, and drove away.
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