Driver Arrested In 2023 Fatal Hit & Run

Amidst a ​“cloud of smoke” and doubled-parked cars, a 19-year-old driver named Dajon Marques Morris struck and fatally injured a 41-year-old motorcyclist named José Rodríguez in Fair Haven.

Morris then ​“panicked” and, ​“fearing for his life,” fled the scene — only to be arrested by city cops roughly 10 months later.

Police Chief Karl Jacobson, Assistant Chiefs David Zannelli and Bert Ettienne, and Mayor Justin Elicker announced that arrest during a Wednesday afternoon press conference held on the third floor of police headquarters at 1 Union Ave.

Standing alongside Rodriguez’s wife Crismary and two of his children, the top city cops described how a nearly year-long investigation resulted in an arrest on April 2 for a fatal crash that took place on June 7, 2023.

The crash’s victim, Rodriguez, was born in Puerto Rico, married, and the father of four girls and three boys, according to a GoFundMe page published by his wife last year.

He lived most of his life in New Haven, was ​“the joy of the holidays” and ​“the one who made others laugh and motivated others in their worst moments and was always willing to lend a helping hand regardless of day or time, he was ready to help.”

Morris, who is now 20 years old, has been charged with evading responsibility resulting in death, operating a motor vehicle without a driver’s license, operating an unregistered motor vehicle, and three counts of failure to obey a stop sign, among other charges. 

He has not yet entered any pleas to those charges and is currently being held on a $75,000.

While Rodriguez’s family members declined to speak publicly at Wednesday’s press conference, Mayor Elicker described Rodriguez as ​“in the prime of his life,” ​“a member of the New Haven community,” and someone who ​“leaves behind a loving and beautiful family.” He said Rodriguez had been traveling at the time of the fatal crash to pick up one of his daughters.

“Don’t drive recklessly in New Haven. Don’t drive recklessly in New Haven,” Elicker said. ​“And do not leave the scene of an accident. All too often we have people leave the scene of an accident. We will hunt you down and catch you and hold you accountable.”

Arrest Warrant Details Case

According to an arrest warrant affidavit written on March 28 by city police Officer Edrick Agosto, the fatal crash took place at the intersection of Clay and Haven Streets at around 8:31 p.m. last June 7.

Witness interviews described and ​“choppy and pixelated” video surveillance footage showed a green Honda traveling west on Clay Street and a Suzuki motorcycle traveling north on Haven at around that time. The car’s tail lights were brightly lit, indicating that the driver had been applying the brake pedal as he approached the stop sign. ​“However, due to the choppy nature of the video, I was not able to determine if the operator brought the vehicle to a complete stop before entering the intersection.”

The vehicle appears to begin to make a left turn, and then continues straight across Haven, before turning around and heading back on Clay towards James. The video then shows ​“two objects on the roadway” — Rodriguez’s body and his motorcycle. A review of the damaged motorcycle’s ​“analog speedometer” after the crash showed it to be stuck at 32 miles per hour, in a roadway with a 25 mile per hour speed limit.

“An extensive investigation was conducted through various sources to include neighborhood canvasses, a review of private and city surveillance cameras, CI [confidential informant] information and statements provided by various individuals,” Agosto wrote.

All of that police work led city officers to Carlisle Street, where they found the car they believed was involved in the crash. Subsequent interviews led them to interview Morris and his mom on July 17 at their home in Fair Haven.

Morris reportedly told Agosto and a fellow city detective during the interview that he and a passenger had been driving in Fair Haven, heading towards the Hill, soon after 8:30 on June 7. 

“When they got to the stop sign, he could not see due to a cloud of smoke and cars double parked next to each other, including one parked at the stop sign,” Agosto wrote. ​“He inched his vehicle forward, however, he still could not see.”

Morris then recalled, as he was driving, ​“it all happened … it was just like,” and he clapped his hand.

“He stated there wasn’t any music playing inside his car but there was music around us, it was kind of like a celebration.” After the crash, Morris said, he said around 30 to 40 people ​“running up the street.” He then ​“panicked, he did not know what to do.” He said he thought the people at the scene of the crash ​“were going to shoot him or something, he was scared for his life.”

He said he looked out his car window to ​“make sure [Rodriguez] was OK, he was conscious, he was moving his arm. I saw so many people coming out of the smoke, I got scared, I did a U‑turn and ​‘got out of there.’ ” and headed to the Hill.

He said he was going to turn himself in, that he was scared, ​“had a mental breakdown.” 

Morris verified for the police that the green Honda police had seized on Carlisle Street was his. He said ​“he tried but was scared to call the police, he was not sure what was going to happen.” He said he didn’t know Rodriguez had died until a few days later when he saw a GoFundMe page for the motorcyclist.