The owner of the vehicle told police his nephew was responsible for the vehicle at the time of the crash.
With the assistance of a translator, detectives were able to talk to the 19-year-old suspect.
“He ultimately admitted to being in the traffic crash,” Cairns said. “He admitted he was scared.”
The 19-year-old was checked for injuries, which Cairns said included bruises and other marks from where a seat belt would be, and was booked into the Montgomery County Jail. The Dayton Daily News is not naming him because formal charges have not been filed.
April Cartwright was in a vehicle around 3:20 a.m. Wednesday on Webster Street on her way to work. Once the traffic light at Stanley Avenue turned green, Cartwright pulled midway into the intersection, Cairns said.
A gray or silver 2011 Mazda going west on Stanley Avenue reportedly ran a red light and hit the driver’s side of Cartwright’s vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene, said Montgomery County Coroner Dr. Kent Harshbarger.
The suspect then got out of the Mazda and fled.
“He ran from the vehicle without stopping or checking on injuries or really doing anything,” Cairns said.
He was arrested about 12 hours later.
Speed and impairment are possible factors in the crash, and Cairns said investigators are working to determine the speed at the time of the crash. Also, because the arrest came 12 hours after the crash, Cairns said it takes additional work to determine whether the driver was impaired.
The driver’s uncle could also face potential charges because the suspected driver has never had a valid driver’s license.
“It’s against the law in the state of Ohio to own a vehicle and then let somebody else use it if you know they do not have a valid driver’s license,” Cairns said.
The charge, wrongful entrustment, is a first-degree misdemeanor and an arrestable offense, he said.
As of Thursday afternoon, formal charges have not been filed against the suspect.
The crash remains under investigation. Anyone with information can call Dayton Police Department’s Traffic Services Unit at 937-333-1149.
Staff writers Holly Souther and Daniel Susco contributed to this report.
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