Philly Rideshare Driver Arrested in Fatal East Norriton Hit-and-Run
A Philadelphia rideshare driver faces criminal charges after prosecutors say he struck and killed a 29-year-old pedestrian in Montgomery County, fled the scene, and left the victim to be run over a second time by a tractor-trailer.
Andy Nuñez Vasquez, 43, is charged in connection with the Sept. 6 crash that killed Ricardo Baptiste of Drexel Hill, nbcphiladelphia.com reported. Investigators used surveillance footage, automated license plate readers, and PennDOT records to track the white 2015 Hyundai Sonata allegedly involved in the collision.
The Fatal Collision at West Germantown Pike and Whitehall Road
The sequence of events began on Sept. 6. East Norriton police responded to a 9:10 p.m. emergency call at the intersection of West Germantown Pike and Whitehall Road, where they found Baptiste lying unresponsive on the roadway with fractures and lacerations. Emergency personnel transported him to Jefferson Einstein Montgomery Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
According to Montgomery County prosecutors, surveillance video from a nearby property captured Baptiste attempting to cross the street when a white sedan struck him on the driver’s side. The impact knocked Baptiste to the ground. While he lay on the street, a tractor-trailer traveling down Germantown Pike struck him a second time, driving over him.
Vasquez did not remain at the location. Police stated that the driver of the sedan fled the scene without reporting the incident.
Digital Evidence and Prior Traffic Violations
Detectives unraveled the case by examining digital records and municipal infrastructure. License plate reader data combined with PennDOT vehicle registration files pointed investigators toward Vasquez as the owner of the 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The vehicle featured a distinct white body with a burnt-out right rear taillight.
Phone and rideshare activity records ultimately placed Vasquez at the location of the crash when emergency calls were placed. Court history shows that Vasquez previously pleaded guilty to disobeying a traffic control device in 2023, phillyvoice.com reported.
Charges Filed and Upcoming Court Date
Prosecutors have filed four distinct criminal counts against Vasquez. The charges include a felony count of accidents involving injury or death, alongside misdemeanor offenses for failing to render aid and failing to report an accident to police.
If convicted, Vasquez faces a minimum prison term of three years and a $2,500 fine. Court records indicate that his preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 2.