Police seek 2nd car in hit-and-run dragging death
Penn Hills man killed in April
Allegheny County police said Tuesday they are looking for a second car involved in the hit-and-run dragging death of a Penn Hills man in April.
Police have already charged Surron Burch, 21, in the incident, in which Joseph Morris, 51, was struck while walking home from work, then dragged a half-mile to where his body was found.
Mr. Burch is charged with homicide by vehicle, causing an accident involving death or injury, and involuntary manslaughter. He was arrested on May 15.
In a statement released Tuesday, county police said Mr. Burch struck Mr. Morris first, but a second vehicle dragged Mr. Morris’ body from the 400 block of Hershey Road to 184 Universal Road.
“Through the continued investigation and testing, it has been definitively established that the Saturn driven by Burch struck Mr. Morris,” county police Inspector Andrew Schurman wrote in a release. “The Saturn sustained substantial damage, and it is believed that Mr. Morris would have been incapacitated after that impact. It has also been determined that a second vehicle traveling southbound on Hershey (Road) also struck Mr. Morris and dragged him to the point where he was discovered, approximately one-half mile away on Universal Road.”
Police using video surveillance and a tip tracked the Saturn sedan involved in the hit-and-run to a parking lot behind Hi View Gardens in McKeesport on May 10.
The owner of the car, Modesty Hopper, 21, of McKeesport, has been charged with obstruction.
Investigators were able to use text messages between Ms. Hopper and another person to show she knew Mr. Burch had struck a person, and messages she exchanged with Mr. Burch, who wrote, according to the criminal complaint, “I didn’t do it on purpose.”
Video surveillance also showed a man identified by a witness as Mr. Burch get into the car, with no damage to it, and drive away about 4 p.m. the day of the crash and return about 10 p.m., get out of the vehicle and examine the damage.
On Tuesday morning, deputy District Attorney Chris Avetta asked Allegheny County Common Pleas Judge Jeffrey A. Manning to revoke Mr. Burch’s bond. Mr. Burch is currently on house arrest. Judge Manning refused.
The prosecutor explained that the damage to the car and what was left at the scene shows the victim went up over the car and not underneath.
Police have not provided any details about the second vehicle they say is involved, but they released a surveillance image.
“[It] appears to be a sedan and would most likely have sustained damage to the front and undercarriage,” police said.
A reward of up to $8,000 is being offered for information about the vehicle. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Allegheny County Police Tipline at 1-833-ALL-TIPS (1833-255-8477). Callers can remain anonymous.