New Haven issues warning on reckless driving after arrest in fatal crash

NEW HAVEN — One of the city’s latest arrests for hit-and-run driving comes with a blunt warning for anyone who doesn’t think about who they might be affecting when they drive around city streets.

“Don’t drive recklessly in New Haven — and don’t leave the scene of an accident,” Mayor Justin Elicker said Wednesday, flanked by city police brass and the family of the Jose Rodriguez, who died June 7, 2023 in a hitand-run accident while riding his motorcycle.

“We will hunt you down and arrest you,” Elicker said at a press conference outside the chief ’s office in police headquarters at 1 Union Ave.

Police had arrested Dajon Marques Morris, 20, who they said was driving a green sedan that fled the intersection of Haven and Clay streets in the city’s Fair Haven section after striking Rodriguez, who was 41.

Police arrested Morris on a warrant April 2.

The public defender representing Morris did not immediately return request for comment.

Bond was set at $75,000 and Morris has since been released from custody, said Assistant Police Chief David Zannelli, who joined Police Chief Karl Jacobson and Assistant Chief Bertram Ettienne.

With them were Rodriguez’s widow, Crismary Rodriguez, daughter, Julianna Rodriguez and son, Jean Rodriguez.

The family members stood alongside the police chiefs and Elicker but did not speak.

The arrest was the result of both electronic surveillance and witness testimony, said Zannelli.

“I think it’s really important that the public see that the driving that you do is having an effect on the community,” said Elicker.

The community lost one of its members — and the Rodriguez family lost a loved one — because someone wasn’t driving safely, Elicker said.

Meanwhile, Elicker said Morris’ “life is forever altered.”

Morris is charged with evading responsibility resulting in death, misuse of a marker plate, operating a motor vehicle without a driver’s license, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, insufficient insurance, three counts of failure to obey a stop sign, failure to obey a traffic signal and window tints.

Rodriguez was transported to a local emergency room by an ambulance after the crash, but died sometime after, police spokesman Christian Bruckhart said at the time.