HAMPSTEAD, Md. — The driver that was involved in a fatal pedestrian hit and run has been arrested.
On Friday, at about 3:35 a.m., the Carroll County Sheriff's Office was called to the 1600 block of Brodbeck Road because a pedestrian had been hit. The caller was a passerby that came across the victim, but hadn't witnessed the collision. The striking vehicle, however, did not remain on the scene.
The initial investigation revealed that the pedestrian, 31-year-old Eric Hendler, was walking Northbound on Brodbeck Road when he was hit. After being found, he was transported to Carroll Hospital Center, where, at a little after 5 a.m., he was pronounced dead.
After releasing a description and photos of the vehicle and its possible location, the suspect was found and arrested Friday evening.
The suspect has been identified as 31-year-old John Benjamin Batz, of Westminster. Batz was arrested and taken to Carroll County Central Booking and charged with failure to immediately return and remain at scene of accident involving death and failure to immediately stop vehicle at scene of accident involving death.
Batz's Ford F-150 was also located and impounded for further investigation. Since this investigation is ongoing, further charges are possible.
