What to Know
- Bruce Bennett, 66, is charged in the deadly hit-and-run crash that killed an 18-year-old in Sicklerville, New Jersey.
- Trohkeem Brantley was struck by an SUV as the teen and other residents of his group home were in the front yard Tuesday night.
- Bennett was released after being charged with second-degree leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident resulting in a death.
A teenager in front of the South Jersey group home where he lived was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver who apparently jumped the curb Tuesday night.
Hours after the wreck on the 2000 block of Sicklerville Road in Sicklerville around 8:15 p.m., a 66-year-old man was arrested and charged with leaving the scene of a deadly crash, Gloucester Township police said.
The 18-year-old, identified by the Camden County Prosecutor's Office as Trohkeem Brantley, was struck by an SUV, police said.
Brantley died a short time later at the hospital.
Brantley lived at the Youth Consultation Service (YCS) group home and was in the front yard with other residents when an SUV hopped the curb and struck him, officials from the nonprofit agency told NBC10.
Emergency crews shut down Sicklerville Road between Beacon Hill Drive and Jarvis Road for more than four hours after the wreck.
Police described the vehicle as a midsized, dark SUV with heavy damage to the windshield, hood and passenger side.
As police searched for the SUV driver, Bruce Bennett, 66, turned himself into Gloucester Township police.
The Franklinville man was charged with second-degree knowingly leaving the scene of a fatal accident, the prosecutor's office said. Bennett was released "in accordance with bail reform guidelines" pending a future court appearance, police said.
No one at Bennett's home answered the door Wednesday morning. It is unclear if he has an attorney who could comment on his behalf.
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Investigators also recovered the SUV suspected of being used in the deadly incident, police said. A Chevy Equinox with windshield and front-end damage could be seen parked outside the police station Wednesday morning, but investigators have yet to connect the vehicle to the hit-and-run.
YCS is offering services to residents who witnessed the deadly incident.
"No words can express how shocked and saddened we are over the tragic loss of this young man," YCS said in a statement. "We have notified his family and are providing grief counseling to all the young men and staff at the YCS group home."
Gloucester Township Police asked anyone with information on the incident to call 856-228-4500 or the GTPD Anonymous Tipline at 856-842-5560.
