An arrest was made in a hit-and-run that claimed the life of a 9-year-old boy only two days before he was set to play with his football team in the championship game.
Royce Atkins, 22, was arrested Monday after he allegedly struck Darius Condash outside a Wawa in Hanover Township and fled the scene.
Darius, his older cousin, and a friend went to the Wawa near Schoenersville Road and Route 22 around 6:30 p.m. Friday in Hanover Township. Condash bought his favorite candy, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, from the store. As he was crossing the roadway he dropped one of them and went to pick it up. Suddenly, he was struck by a 2007 Mazda driven by Atkins, police said. Atkins then allegedly fled the scene.
"I went past cars," said Condash's cousin D'Angelo Martinez. "I saw lights and I was praying. I saw him on the floor laying there."
Condash was taken to St. Luke's Hospital in Bethlehem, where he later died from his injuries. An autopsy revealed that he died of blunt-force trauma.
Around 10 a.m. Monday, police received a tip reporting Atkins, of Hanover Township, was involved in the crash. Officers arrived at Atkins' home around noon where they found his vehicle which had heavy front-end damage, investigators said.
Police then found Atkins working at his job at a local car dealership. Atkins was taken into custody and allegedly admitted to striking the boy and fleeing the scene.
Atkins is charged with accidents involving personal injury or death and careless driving. Police don't believe he was intoxicated at the time of the crash.
Atkins is currently being held in the Northampton County Prison on $50,000 bail.
