YOUNGSVILLE, La. — An arrest has been made in a fatal hit-and-run crash that happened over the weekend.
Officers with the Youngsville Police Department responded to a suspicious circumstances report in the 2400 block of E. Milton Avenue Saturday morning, according to Youngsville Police Chief Rickey Boudreaux. Upon arriving on scene, officers discovered a man with no signs of life laying in a ditch. It appeared that the man was the victim of an alleged vehicle hit and run.
Through the preliminary investigation it was determined 41-year-old Dustin Joseph Johnson, was struck by an unknown vehicle and thrown into the ditch facedown with his face partially submerged, Chief Boudreaux stated.
During the course of the investigation, evidence found on scene, allowed officers to determine a possible suspect vehicle. The vehicle was located at the registered owner’s residence and a suspect driver, and an additional occupant were located, according to police.
During the interview process the driver, identified as 39-year-old Benjamin Mathew Decuir, admitted to operating the vehicle, but stated he struck an unknown object on the roadway, stopped looked around and after not seeing anything, drove away, according to Boudreaux. Decuir told police he attempted to locate debris but was unable to locate anything and then left the scene without reporting the accident even with the vehicle obtaining significant damages.
Chief Rickey Boudreaux stated that with the evidence found on scene, the damages found on the vehicle and the suspect’s admission of operating the vehicle, he was placed under arrest.
Decuir was booked into the Lafayette Parish Jail on a charge of felony hit and run.
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