A suspect was taken into custody and charged after he allegedly fatally struck a father of a 4-year-old in New York, leading investigators to track down his damaged vehicle at a repair shop in Mundelein.
The Mundelein Police Department was alerted on March 18 by the New York City, New York Police Department, who were seeking assistance in a case in their jurisdiction, according to Mundelein Police Commander Rick Wilfenger.
They reported that a vehicle wanted in connection with a fatal hit and run crash was possibly located at an auto repair shop in the 1200 block of Townline Road in Mundelein.
The New York City Police Department provided a description of the black 2018 Nissan Murano, Wilfenger said.
The Nissan was identified at the location by a private-party automated license plate reader.
Wilfenger said responding Mundelein officers located the vehicle, which had been dropped off for repair at the business.
Mundelein and New York City police detectives worked with the Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office to obtain a search warrant to remove the vehicle from the property.
The vehicle was towed to the Mundelein Police Department and later turned over to the New York City Police Department, which later responded and towed the vehicle.
Wilfenger said the business owner was cooperative and had no knowledge of the circumstances surrounding the New York incident.
The New York City Police Department said the incident stems from a collision involving a pedestrian, identified as Joshua Germain, 31, and a vehicle on February 15 near Vandervoort Avenue and Rewe Street in Brooklyn, New York.
Germain was walking in the roadway after exiting an Uber when he was struck by the Nissan, allegedly driven by 35-year-old Gregory Ventura.
Police said Germain suffered critical injuries and was transported to a hospital where he died almost a week later.
Germain was the father of a 4-year-old boy and a former church choir drummer, several news outlets reported.
The New York Daily News reported Ventura works as a vehicle transporter and has done business previously in Illinois where he dropped the car off for repair.
Ventura was arrested on Monday after turning himself in and has been charged with criminally negligent homicide and leaving the scene of an accident. A judge released him pending trial.