Stamford Man Consumed Alcohol Before Hit-And-Run Crash That Killed 12-Year-Old Boy, Arrest Warrant Says

STAMFORD, CT — The 41-year-old man arrested this week in connection with the August hit-and-run crash that killed a 12-year-old Stamford boy was drinking at a restaurant just before the incident, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.

Police this week announced the arrest of Juan Carlos Umana-Umana, a Stamford resident, who was charged with misconduct with a motor vehicle, felony evading responsibility, and tampering with evidence.

The arrest warrant for Umana-Umana is shedding more light on how investigators put the case together.

On Aug. 2 at approximately 8:47 p.m., a 12-year-old boy - later identified as Brisley Reyes - was riding a mini-bike southbound in the 300-block of Courtland Avenue with a family member, who was on a scooter, police said.

The two pulled out of the travel lane and over to the shoulder of Courtland Avenue for an unknown reason, and as they were sitting on the side of the road, a vehicle driving by struck the mini-bike, causing Reyes to be thrown from the bike into the yard of a nearby home, police said, noting the vehicle then fled the scene.

Reyes was later pronounced dead at Stamford Hospital.

Read also: 12-Year-Old Boy Killed In Stamford Hit-And-Run Remembered For Friendly, Welcoming Nature

Police used damaged car parts left at the scene and surveillance camera footage throughout the area to identify the suspect vehicle - a silver 2004 Honda Accord - and ultimately track Umana-Umana's travels, which led investigators back to Vinny's Backyard, a bar and restaurant on Hope Street where Umana-Umana was employed part-time, according to the arrest warrant.

Surveillance camera footage showed the suspect vehicle entering the restaurant’s parking lot on Aug. 2 around 6:30 p.m., and a man exiting the driver’s seat wearing a white T-shirt and black pants before going into the establishment, the warrant said.

Police spoke with employees at the restaurant who said Umana-Umana had come in that evening as a customer, and consumed at least a pint of beer and a shot of liquor, according to the warrant.

One employee who left the restaurant around 8:15 p.m. told police Umana-Umana "seemed tipsy but not belligerent," the warrant noted.

Nine minutes before the fatal crash, security camera footage near the restaurant showed the same man walking out of the establishment and getting into the driver's seat of the suspect vehicle, the warrant said.

Footage from security cameras near Umana-Umana's residence showed him arriving home that night after the crash wearing the same clothing, the warrant said, noting that the following day on Aug. 3, footage appeared to show Umana-Umana inspecting the damage to his vehicle.

The vehicle was found covered and without license plates outside of Umana-Umana's home on Aug. 3, the warrant said.

Umana-Umana came out of his residence and told officers, "I wish to remain silent," police wrote in the warrant.

Police executed a search and seizure warrant on the vehicle and towed it back to headquarters for evidence processing.

Later that night, Umana-Umana called a co-worker at another business where he was employed and said he would not be in to work because he was in an accident, the warrant said.

The co-worker told police after he asked Umana-Umana if the other person was okay, Umana-Umana said, "No, they are dead," according to the warrant.

Umana-Umana was released this week on a $200,000 court set bond, and is scheduled to appear in Stamford Superior Court on Nov. 10.