Jerome Laster was driving to his job as a chef in the early morning hours of September 27 when his vehicle was struck at the intersection of Broadway and Oak Street in Buffalo. The 54-year-old died days later, and more than a month on, the driver who hit him has still not been identified or arrested.
Laster was killed in what began as a four-vehicle crash near Broadway and Oak Street around 4:30 a.m., according to WKBW. Investigators said the driver of the vehicle that struck Laster left the scene on foot, and WKBW reported that Laster, a Buffalo resident, died on October 3. As reported by WIVB News 4, police said the suspect was behind the wheel of a 2018 Volkswagen Atlas before running off following the crash.
After abandoning the vehicle, the driver was last seen heading west on Broadway and then north on Ellicott Street, per the same account from police. An investigation into who was behind the wheel that night remains ongoing, and the station's report notes it had reached out to Buffalo police for comment but had not received a response by the time of publication.
A Best Friend Remembers 45 Years Together
Rodney Shanklin, a close friend of Laster's, told the station the loss has been devastating. “Me and Mone been best friends for 45 years,” Shanklin said, describing Laster as more like family than a friend. He said he was heartbroken over the loss.
Shanklin said Laster was on his way to work when his vehicle was struck, and described him as a chef who left behind two children, a boy and a girl, along with a fiancé. “He had two kids. He had a boy and a girl. He had a fiancé,” Shanklin said. He urged the driver responsible to come forward and make things right.
Reward Offered, Person of Interest Sought
Western New York Crime Stoppers is offering a reward for information leading to an arrest, though the exact figure has been described inconsistently across outlets. WIVB reported the reward at $2,500 for information leading to an arrest, while WKBW described it as a reward of up to $2,500 for information leading to the identification and arrest of a person of interest. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at (716) 867-6161, per WKBW's report.
The search for the driver has drawn attention beyond local television. The Buffalo News also reported that authorities were seeking a person of interest connected to the fatal hit-and-run at Broadway and Oak Street, publishing images of the individual sought in the September 27 crash.
For now, Laster's family and friends are left waiting as the investigation into who was behind the wheel continues. No arrest or charge has been reported, and the identity of the driver remains unknown.
