PHOENIX — A man was arrested after he allegedly hit another man with his car, killing him, before fleeing the scene in Mesa earlier this week.
The Mesa Police Department said Thursday that Joseph Eckert was arrested for fleeing the scene of the crash that killed 81-year-old Larry Lans.
Lans was walking on the sidewalk at Alma School Road just north of Isabella Avenue around 6 a.m. Tuesday when he was struck.
He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The man was identified Wednesday as Lans.
The vehicle was driving northbound on Alma School Road when Eckert allegedly struck Lans. He also hit a water meter valve and an SRP electrical box.
He then turned southbound and fled the scene, police said.
It was not immediately known why Eckert drove onto the sidewalk.
Investigators found surveillance footage of the vehicle, which was later found in Tempe.
The owner of the car was interviewed and he identified Eckert as the driver.
Police said Eckert later confessed to driving the vehicle at the time of the incident and admitted to hitting the power box but claimed he had no knowledge of hitting a person.
Eckert has been booked and charged with one count of failing to stop for a fatality collision.
