INQUISITR.COM / News & Politics

Suspect In Fatal Boston Hit And Run Says ‘Accidents Happen’

By Robert Jonathan
Published on: 03:24 PST, Jun 7, 2018

Shortly after he discussed the incident on local television, Boston police charged a man with motor vehicle homicide and leaving the scene of an accident causing death in an incident yesterday afternoon that took the life of an elderly pedestrian.

The 80-year-old victim, who was crossing at a crosswalk on Commonwealth Avenue at about 1 p.m., was reportedly thrown into the air by the impact and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital. The victim is as yet unidentified.

Cops had originally tracked down the operator of an SUV by the license plate but let him go after questioning. Apparently within minutes after Fox 25 aired an interview with suspect Phocian Fitts, 23, however, cops showed up.

“Initially, Boston Police sources tell Boston 25 News they did not have enough to arrest Fitts initially, but after seeing what he revealed to us, they had enough probable cause to take him into custody,” Fox 25 added.

In the interview that apparently led to his arrest, Fitts told the news outlet, among other things, that at the time of the accident, he had a green light and repeatedly beeped his horn at the pedestrian because he allegedly couldn’t stop in time.

“Right now I’m not worried about nothing, I’m not a stone cold killer, I didn’t do nothing on purpose. People hit and run people all the time…It wasn’t intentional, Accidents happen all the time, it was an accident.”

He explained that he left the scene of the crash because “I was scared and worried because I didn’t know what could happen.” He also noted that he was listening to music and “driving too quick.”

Fitts noted that cops originally let him go because he wasn’t guilty and described himself as a “real gangster, but not in a bad way” because he helps out in the community.

Detectives are in the process of looking at surveillance footage to verify whether the light was green when the alleged hit and run occurred. They also confiscated the vehicle and the clothes the suspect was wearing. In a news release about the arrest, the Boston Police Department has asked any witnesses to the incident to come forward.

Fitts was arraigned in Brighton District Court today with bail set at $10,000. Check back with the Inquisitr for updates on this developing story.

According to the Boston Globe, Phocian Fitts pleaded guilty in 2016 to assaulting a U.S. Mail carrier who kicked his mother’s unleashed dog reportedly in self-defense. A federal court sentenced him to time served. Boston media indicates that he has other arrests on his record.

Share this article: Suspect In Fatal Boston Hit And Run Says ‘Accidents Happen’
Boston
More from Inquisitr