A New York man is dead after a driver struck him on State Route 903 in Penn Forest Township and drove off without stopping, and investigators are now hunting for a white Subaru sedan they believe was involved. The Carbon County Chief Deputy Coroner identified the victim as Kyle Elardo of Suffolk County, New York, who authorities say fell into the roadway while riding an ATV moments before he was hit.
Troopers were called around 11:30 p.m. last Thursday to State Route 903 and Church Road for the fatal crash, according to 2822 News. Police said Elardo was operating an ATV when he fell or was thrown into the northbound travel lane, where a passing vehicle struck him, according to Fox56. Reports differ on Elardo's age: Fox56 identified him as 27, while WFMZ.com reported him as 28.
Driver Fled Without Stopping
After striking Elardo, the vehicle failed to stop and fled the scene in an unknown direction, WFMZ.com's report states. Investigators believe the car involved was a white Subaru sedan with damage to its driver-side front fender, per Fox56's report on the search for the vehicle.
Accounts also differ on the exact time and manner in which Elardo was pronounced dead. The station's report states he was pronounced dead at 12:18 a.m. by Carbon County Chief Deputy Coroner Jason T. Smith, while 2822 News reported he was pronounced dead at the scene around 12:15 a.m. Friday.
ATV Left Undamaged, Taken Into Evidence
Elardo's ATV came to a controlled stop off the roadway near a small tree on the right side of the road and showed no damage, the same account notes. The ATV was later transported to PSP Fern Ridge and placed into evidence as investigators work to reconstruct what happened on the dark stretch of Route 903.
An autopsy has been scheduled for Monday, September 21, at the Lehigh County Coroner's Office & Forensics Center, according to the outlet's reporting. Pennsylvania State Police, including the Fern Ridge and Lehighton stations, are investigating alongside the Carbon County Coroner's Office and state police forensic and crash reconstruction units, per Fox56.
Case Remains Open
Investigators have not said whether the driver's identity, the vehicle's license plate or its direction of travel have been determined, and no arrest or charges have been reported. This case remains open pending further investigation, police say, per WFMZ.com's report.
