With help from witnesses, Boise police arrest man in ‘serious’ downtown hit-and-run
Boise police identified the suspect in a hit-and-run incident Saturday night with the help of witnesses.
Two pedestrians, both women, were hospitalized with life-threatening injuries in a “series of serious crashes” just after 9:30 p.m. Saturday at the corner of 11th and Main streets in downtown Boise, according to a Sunday news release from the Boise Police Department.
The suspect, a 46-year-old Boise man, is accused of hitting the pedestrians and continuing to drive, striking other vehicles as he fled, police said.
Bystanders followed the driver, and he was stopped and taken into custody near East Parkcenter Boulevard and Pennsylvania Street, the news release said. He was then taken to a local hospital to be checked for injuries. After his release, he was arrested on suspicion of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in injury or death and booked into the Ada County Jail.
“Last night the irresponsible actions of this individual caused serious injuries to two of our community members,” Boise police Capt. Jim Quackenbush said in the news release. “We thank the many witnesses who acted quickly to provide immediate assistance and all those who have come forward with information on this tragic event. Our officers will continue to work with the community to strictly enforce the law, particularly as it relates to vulnerable road users in the downtown core.”
A crash reconstruction team and violent crimes unit responded to the scene to investigate, police said. An Idaho Statesman journalist in the area saw a large SUV with dents along its side and long runs of caution tape around Main Street.
Boise police shut down a stretch of Main Street and asked drivers to avoid a swath of downtown between Main and Idaho streets from 6th to 11th streets. The roads have since reopened.
The incident occurred as the Twilight Criterium bike race, which shut down a separate section of downtown roads nearby, was wrapping up Saturday night.
As part of the investigation, Boise police officers are looking to speak with anyone who was a witness or whose vehicle was damaged in the incident. Police also asked that any businesses on Main Street between 13th and 5th streets with video footage of Main Street contact the department.
This story was originally published June 30, 2024 at 12:38 PM.
