Two Charged In Hit And Run At Plumstead Wawa

PLUMSTEAD TOWNSHIP, PA — Two people have been charged in connection with a hit and run crash involving a pedestrian in the Plumstead Wawa parking lot in April.

Elias Mallouhi, 21, of Allentown, has been identified as the driver of the silver Hyundai Accent that struck an 85-year-old man on April 20, 2020, and fled the scene, Plumstead Police said Tuesday.

The arrest comes 10 months after police first interviewed 25-year-old Alexandria Hermann, of Hellertown, the registered owner of the vehicle, who initially told police she didn't know the identity of the driver, Plumstead police said.

Video surveillance of the incident showed a male driver of a silver Hyundai Accent striking a man in the Wawa parking lot. The driver gets out of the car and tries to help the man but decides to drive away after he can't get the man to stand up, police said.

After months of following leads, police identified Mallouhi as a suspect and interviewed him on Feb. 8, during which he admitted to being the driver and leaving the scene of the accident, according to police.

Herrmann admitted to lying to police about her knowledge of the driver during a recent follow-up interview, authorities said. She is charged with misdemeanors of hindering apprehension or prosecution, obstructing administration of law and false reports to law enforcement.

Mallouhi faces misdemeanor charges of accident involving death or personal injury and two counts of obstructing administration of law. He was also charged with accident involving death or personal injury while not licensed for being an unlicensed driver.

Mallouhi and Herrmann were both released after posting an unsecured bail of $200,000. A preliminary hearing in the case is scheduled for March.

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