Fort Pierce police have arrested a 34-year-old driver in connection with a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a 7-year-old child at the intersection of North 25th Street and Avenue M. Demetris Johnson was arrested Wednesday at 2905 U.S. Highway 1 and faces charges of leaving the scene of a crash involving serious bodily injury and driving while license suspended. Police had been investigating the crash in which an early-2000s gold Mercedes-Benz struck two children in a marked crosswalk before the driver fled the scene.
The crash occurred at approximately 8:55 p.m. on Aug. 1 when two children were crossing the roadway in a marked crosswalk. Police said Johnson struck one of the children. Surveillance video obtained from a nearby business captured the crash and shows Johnson exiting his vehicle to check on the children before returning to his vehicle and fleeing the scene.
Investigators identified the suspect vehicle using available investigative technology and law enforcement databases. These resources also assisted officers in identifying Johnson as the driver, according to the Fort Pierce Police Department.
The 7-year-old has been released from the hospital and is currently recovering, police said. The investigation remains active and ongoing. Anyone with information on this incident is encouraged to contact the Fort Pierce Police Department at 772-462-6800 or Treasure Coast Crime Stoppers at 800-273-8477.