The tragic hit-and-run incident that led to the death of 7-year-old Amir Prewitt in Cleveland has resulted in a series of charges against 32-year-old Donald Mynatt, as reported by WKYC. A Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted Mynatt on two counts of Failure to Stop After an Accident, comprising second and third-degree felonies, one count each of Tampering With Evidence and Negligent Homicide. Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael C. O'Malley expressed the community's heartbreak over the incident, stating, "Amir Prewitt's death is a terrible tragedy, and my thoughts and prayers remain with his family," per details obtained by WKYC.
Prosecutors outlined the sequence of events that unfolded on the evening of August 16, recounted by FOX8, where Amir was riding his skateboard in the parking lot of the Lakeshore Beach Apartments at around 7:20 p.m., Mynatt's black Mercedes SUV struck him while Mynatt, after the collision, pulled into a parking area turned around and fled at an increased velocity, leaving Amir severely injured; sadly, the child later died at a nearby hospital. It was also noted by Fox 8 that Mynatt’s attorney has disputed the charges, alleging that authorities have implicated the wrong individual.
After the incident, a manhunt ensued until last Wednesday, when Mynatt was located and arrested by U.S. Marshals in an abandoned office space in Willoughby, with a subsequent bond set at $5 million, according to information shared by News 5 Cleveland. Before his capture, Mynatt's SUV was discovered abandoned within 24 hours of the tragic event, further investigations had Mynatt qualified as a fugitive due to an active arrest warrant from a previous domestic violence charge which he had failed to appear in court for in December.
Mynatt's history of criminal activities, dating back to 2010, raises additional concerns, as documented by WKYC, which includes various offenses from theft to domestic violence. Further, his driver's license had been suspended numerous times, one being due to a child support issue. The prosecutors refrained from charging Mynatt with aggravated vehicular homicide at this stage, explaining, "At this time, there is no evidence that the defendant was operating the vehicle while under the influence, driving at a high rate of speed, using a cell phone, or engaging in any other conduct that would be considered reckless under the Ohio Revised Code." Notably, the community has rallied in support of Amir’s bereaved family, with over 200 people gathering to honor the young boy’s memory, and his mother, Rayshawnda Maclin, remembered him by saying, "He was being a kid," as told to News 5 Cleveland.
