Arrest made in fatal hit-and-run, but driver remains at large
Oct 22, 2024, 2:00 PM | Updated: Oct 23, 2024, 6:07 am
LAYTON — A man was killed while walking in Layton Wednesday after a driver hit him and fled the scene of the accident. An arrest was made Monday, but the driver remains at large.
The man killed was identified Tuesday, Oct. 22, as Thomas Christopher Nelson, 41, from Layton, according to the Layton Police Department.
The man arrested, Jesus Ismael Casillas, 30, was allegedly the owner of a white van involved in the crash, according to court documents. Officers believe he was not the one driving but found evidence he worked to conceal the damage caused by the crash.
Investigators do not know the driver’s identity but said in court documents it is believed the driver fled the state of Utah after the crash.
The crash
A witness had told responding officers on the night of the crash that she had seen the white van driving toward a semitruck and quickly swerved left away from the truck while accelerating. The witness said the van seemed to have been driven by an impaired driver.
The victim, a 41-year-old man, was crossing the street on foot at 1120 N. and Main Street when the van hit him, which “forced his body onto the hood of the white van and into the air, before landing on the pavement.” The van then fled the scene.
The witness began CPR on Nelson, the victim. However, he succumbed to his injuries and died there, investigators said.
Police searching for driver involved in a fatal hit and run in Layton
The investigation
Later, officers received an anonymous tip claiming the van belonged to Casillas and that he had been working to fix the damaged portions of the van in an attempt to “conceal the evidence of the crash.” He had apparently replaced the front grill of the van with another and removed the ladder.
Officers located two shops in Utah that Casillas had taken the van to. When investigators located the van, they reported other parts appeared to have been cannibalized and replaced. In the back of the shop where the van was located, an investigator found a white hood that had “damage consistent with the imprint of a body on it.”
Investigators then spoke with Casillas, who “admitted to knowing the vehicle had been in a crash and taking steps to cover it up.”
Casillas was booked on an obstruction of justice charge, a third-degree felony on Monday. Further, court documents showed Casillas owns land in Mexico, and frequently visits. Officers requested a judge to keep him in custody without bail, to avoid the possibility of Casillas fleeing.
This investigation is ongoing, as police reported they are still working to identify who was driving the van, and where the van is located now.
“The appearance of the van has likely been altered, so we are no longer asking the public for tips about sightings based on the original description,” the Layton Police Department said in a release Tuesday.
Nelson’s family
Nicole Nelson, Thomas Nelson’s younger sister said he leaves behind his mother, sister, niece and two daughters. Nicole says her family is focused on honoring Thomas’ life and she doesn’t feel anger towards the driver.
“I don’t think about the driver and what happened to him,” Nicole Nelson said. “I’m thinking about my brother. This is my brother.”
Nicole said her family’s faith is supporting them through this difficult time as they make plans to raise Thomas’ 5 year old daughter who also lost her mother.
“I’m still in shock but, I think I’m okay, I feel my brother, I feel his [presence]. I really do,” Nicole Nelson said.
Contributing: Garna Mejia and Michael Houck, KSL TV