Bensalem Man Charged In Fatal Christmas Eve Hit-And-Run: Bucks DA

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — A Bensalem man faces charges for his involvement in a fatal hit-and-run incident that occurred in Bristol Township on Christmas Eve.

Kevin Michael Baker Jr., 20, turned himself in on Monday to be arraigned for the hit-and-run incident that killed Bristol Township resident John Dugan, 65, in late December. Magisterial District Judge Terrence Hughes set his bail at 10 percent of $150,000.

A Bucks County 20th Investigating Grand Jury recommended that Baker be charged with accidents involving death or personal injury, tampering with physical evidence, and failure to stop and give information or render aid. Several witnesses, including Bristol Township Police Officer Kenneth Margerum, who was the lead investigator in the crash, recommended that Baker be charged.

"I’m grateful to the members of the Bucks County Grand Jury for their role in solving this mystery," District Attorney Matt Weintraub said. "We will take their recommendation to heart by commencing prosecution of Mr. Baker. Hopefully, their work will enable us to get justice for John Dugan and his loved ones who grieve his passing."

On Christmas Eve, Bristol Township Police were dispatched to State Road and Fourth Avenue just after 5 p.m. to investigate the crash and found a severely injured Dugan. Police were told that the vehicle, a red Chevy Silverado with black wheels, left the scene without stopping to render aid or make the required notifications. Dugan was taken to Jefferson-Torresdale Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

A woman who was with Dugan at the time of the crash told police they were crossing State Road when he fell on the road, likely caused by a medical condition that causes his legs and feet to give out. She said that she tried to help Dugan up, but that a truck “passed me real fast and hit John,” according to the Grand Jury presentment.

Police gathered surveillance video from area businesses and were able to identify the vehicle. The truck was heading westbound on State Road.

Bristol Township Police received a tip that led them to Baker and his girlfriend after they made the photo of the red truck public. Police also received information that Baker had attempted to clean the driver’s side of the front bumper and repair a fog light that was damaged in the crash.

Baker's father, Kevin Baker, Sr., testified before the Investigating Grand Jury on March 31. He and his son had brought the red Chevy truck to police on Dec. 29 to be inspected.

"When Kevin Baker Sr. looked at the Sunoco video of the crash, he stated that the vehicle in the video looks like the same truck owned by his son," court documents said. "When he viewed the video received from a tip of the red Chevy Silverado parked in a driveway, Kevin Baker Sr. identified the male in the video as his son Kevin Baker Jr."

Police said that Baker likely would not have been criminally responsible for Dugan’s death if he had remained at the scene since the investigation found that he was not speeding. The area Dugan crossed was dark and did not have a posted or marked pedestrian crosswalk. In addition, Dugan was wearing dark clothing and had fallen when he was run over by Baker.

"According to Officer Margerum, in the video, you can see Mr. Dugan laying in the roadway as the truck approaches," court documents said. "According to Officer Margerum, he could see the truck jump a little, likely at the point of impact, and then briefly hit the brakes before continuing westbound into Bensalem."