An 84-year-old man lies in critical condition following a felony hit-and-run incident in Salt Lake City's Ballpark neighborhood. The Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) has since arrested 49-year-old Erik Conner in connection to the crash that took place early Tuesday morning, as reported by SLCPD.
Details from the SLCPD reveal the event unfolded at approximately 4:55 a.m. on January 7, when emergency services were alerted to a collision near 1700 South State Street. Officers who arrived on the scene found that the driver of a Ford F-350 had struck the elderly man and fled without fulfilling the legal requirement to stop given when an accident occurs. Initially, the victim's injuries were not thought to be life-threatening, but hospital staff later downgraded his condition to critical.
Investigators close to the case managed to quickly develop a profile of the suspect and tracked down the truck believed to be associated with the accident not far from the crash site. According to SLCPD, the police discovered that Conner returned to retrieve his truck and left the area without attempting to speak to them, even though patrol cars had their lights active to maintain a visible presence.
The break in the case came when Conner, accompanied by his attorney, contacted law enforcement to talk. After an interview with detectives, Conner was booked into Salt Lake County Metro Jail on charges of felony hit and run. His vehicle was later located at a hotel near the University of Utah. It's important to note that charges are merely allegations, and every arrested person, including Mr. Conner, is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty in a court of law.
