Jury selection is set to begin Tuesday, March 10, 2026, in Summit County for a Parma man accused in a deadly hit-skip that killed an 84-year-old Boston Heights woman and rattled a Northfield Center Township neighborhood.
Prosecutors allege that Joseph Zolnowski struck Elizabeth Rock on the 9200 block of Olde Eight Road, then drove off without stopping. Rock had just left a Christmas concert with her granddaughter when she was hit, according to investigators, and was taken to MetroHealth, where she was later pronounced dead.
Cleveland 19 reports that Zolnowski was indicted on a charge of failure to stop after an accident and now faces a jury in Summit County Court of Common Pleas. Deputies say the crash happened around 8 p.m. on Dec. 17, 2024, and that bystanders rendered first aid until paramedics arrived. Zolnowski turned himself in to deputies the following day, according to the station's reporting.
In the days after the collision, the Summit County Sheriff's Office released images of a late-model blue Ford Explorer believed to be involved. Neighbors began sounding alarms about speeding on Olde Eight Road, saying the stretch has long felt dangerous. The case has stayed in the regional spotlight as parish leaders, residents and Rock's family pushed for answers while prosecutors prepared for trial. For a fuller recap of the early coverage and community reaction, see this earlier report: Parma man charged in fatal Northfield Center hit-run.
Legal stakes
Under Ohio law, failure to stop after an accident is a crime in itself, and when a crash results in a death it can be charged as a third-degree felony. The statute that governs hit-skip offenses is spelled out in the Ohio Revised Code, which allows prosecutors to increase the severity of the charge based on the outcome of the collision. Sentencing rules in the state's punishment guidelines, including R.C. 2929.14, lay out the possible prison terms and fines that can apply to third-degree felonies.
Defense attorneys in hit-skip cases frequently challenge whether the driver knew a crash occurred or whether physical and witness evidence backs up the state's version of events. Those kinds of questions are expected to be front and center once testimony and exhibits begin to roll out in Zolnowski's trial.
Rock's son told Cleveland 19 that his mother "was the most amazing woman in the world," a sentiment echoed by parish leaders at St. Barnabus, who publicly asked for prayers for the family. Neighbors said they were shaken by the crash and have been urging drivers to slow down along the section of Olde Eight Road where Rock was struck.
As the case moved forward, investigators asked anyone with information to contact the Summit County Sheriff's Office, according to WTAM. In the courtroom, prosecutors are expected to present witness accounts, any surveillance footage and forensic evidence as they decide whether to pursue any additional charges or sentence enhancements.
The trial is likely to be closely watched across Summit County, both by Rock's family seeking a measure of justice and by neighbors who have been calling for safer conditions on Olde Eight Road. Coverage will be updated as new court filings and testimony become public.
