Police arrest suspect in hit-and-run that left 11-year-old dead
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — Police arrested a suspect in a hit-and-run crash that left an 11-year-old boy dead late Aug. 10.
The crash happened shortly after 11:30 p.m. in the area of 4200 South and 4000 West, where the boy and his mother were walking. Authorities said a vehicle drove off the road and onto the sidewalk, where it hit the child. The driver reportedly did not stop.
West Valley City Police Department on Friday stated Steven Rollins, 46, is suspected to be the person behind the wheel.
In the preliminary stages of the investigation, police stated the only information they had was that the vehicle was "large" and "dark-colored." As the authorities gathered additional information, they updated the vehicle description to a light-colored Toyota truck with front-end damage.
Using the description, officials began interviewing residents living nearby.
"Investigators spoke with neighbors in the area to the north of where the original accident occurred and alerted them to the suspect vehicle description," according to a statement from WVCPD. "Just before midnight on Aug. 11, 2022, one of the neighbors reported a vehicle matching the description had been parked and a man and woman had walked away from it."
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"Investigators followed up and noted damage on the vehicle consistent with the fatal accident," police added.
WVCPD tracked the truck to a home less than one mile away from the crash site, where they made contact with Rollins.
According to the police statement, the investigators "determined that he was driving the vehicle that killed the 11-year-old boy."
He was arrested on suspicion of failing to remain at the scene of a crash involving a death, which is a third-degree felony.
It wasn't clear why the truck left the road to begin with, and the statement didn't specify if the suspect is thought to have been impaired at the time.
"We commend the hard work and dedication of our traffic unit, whose members worked tirelessly to make an arrest in this case," according to the West Valley City Police Department's statement. "Their diligence and unparalleled skill ensured that the suspect in this case could be located. We also thank our community members who work as partners with us every day to ensure safety in their neighborhoods and justice in our city."