GOODYEAR, Ariz. — A suspect wanted in connection with a hit-and-run crash that killed a 13-year-old boy has been taken into custody, according to the Goodyear Police Department.
The teen was struck and killed while riding his bike home from school Tuesday afternoon.
Goodyear police said Thursday evening, a search warrant was served on a home in the neighborhood where the crash happened and police took a male suspect, identified as Richard Romo, into custody without incident.
In a letter to parents Tuesday, Estrella Mountain Elementary confirmed the boy, identified as Dylan Buensuceso, was an 8th-grade student at the school.
Officials said the boy was transported to the hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Frederick Buensuceso, Dylan's father, said he was told at the hospital Monday, after Dylan had died, about how the driver who hit his son left the scene.
“I was even more flabbergasted that somebody could just walk away from killing a child,” Buensuceso said.
Buensuceso said he was relieved to have Romo caught.
“My biggest nightmare I was facing, the one I couldn’t wrap my mind around: This guy could have never been found,” Buensuceso said.
“I am extremely dumbfounded by the fact he stayed a mile away from my house, a mile away from where he murdered my son, and he acted as if nothing happened,” Buensuceso added.
Buensuceso had previously been asking the community to report anything they might have seen regarding the incident that took Dylan’s life.
Goodyear police said it was surveillance video from the neighbors near the crash scene that helped them get Romo into custody.
Buensuceso said he was grateful for the community’s help and support, the police department’s work, and the judge who set Romo’s bond.
“It helps me quite a bit to reach closure about this,” Buensuceso said.
Romo appeared before a judge for his initial appearance Friday afternoon for the charges related to leaving the scene of a deadly accident.
During the hearing, the judge set Romo’s bond at a $1 million secured appearance.
“I also have concerns with the allegation that the defendant got out of his car, saw what happened, and fled the scene,” The judge said in court.
Two GoFundMe pages hve been created by friends and family to help pay for funeral expenses.
Tap or click here for the other account.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Se efectuó un arresto en relación al adolescente de 13 años que falleció después de ser atropellado
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