An Indianapolis man has been taken into custody following a tragic hit-and-run incident that claimed the life of a four-year-old boy and left two adults critically injured. According to information from FOX59, the suspect, identified as 22-year-old Danny Wimbleduff, allegedly sped through a red light at the intersection of East Raymond Street and South State Avenue, resulting in the collision with a bicyclist towing his son in a trailer and a gray Honda Civic on May 7.
Following the crash, having found a box of newly purchased brake parts inside the suspect's Dodge Charger, authorities used these parts to help track down Wimbleduff, as recalled by WTHR. The woman caught up in this tragic sequence of events, Erin Bailey, is now facing a long road to recovery, surrounded by the support of the community and her coworkers, who have been gathering stickers to decorate her walker. "It's so disgusting to think that person fled the scene after knowing what they've done," Bailey told WTHR, struggling to come to terms with the sudden and brutal disruption of a day that had begun with the simple joy of a visit to the garden store.
Police investigations revealed that data from the suspect's vehicle showed he was driving twice the posted speed when he ran the red light. IMPD officer Tommy Thompson conveyed the gravity of staying at the scene of an accident, telling FOX59, "You are accountable for your actions. You need to stay on scene. It's the law. If you don't, as we showed here, we will find you." The arrest brings a sense of accountability in a year that has already witnessed four fatal hit-and-runs, a significant decrease from the previous year's count of 31 hit-and-run deaths.
IMPD Chief Chris Bailey shared his heartfelt sentiments with IndyStar, acknowledging that "no arrest can bring back a life so tragically cut short," but hoping the arrest can provide "some measure of comfort." Public safety advocate Eric Holt also spoke out about driver responsibility and the imperative of remaining on the scene, stating, "Drivers have really kind of lost the plot," in an interview with FOX59. Wimbleduff is currently on a seven-day hold pending the filing of formal charges by the prosecutor’s office.
