MERIDEN–Police made an arrest one day after a hit-and-run, but it wasn’t easy to find the suspect.
On Tuesday, Meriden Police say that a pedestrian was hit by a car on Lewis Avenue, near the tennis courts. They found him lying partly in the roadway, and he had injuries to his head, neck and lower extremities. The victim, identified as Stephen Mahoney, 60, of Meriden, was taken to the hospital and is in critical condition.
The car that allegedly hit the man drove off before police arrived. However, two witnesses saw the crash happened and one had time to write down the license plate. Police tracked that car to an address on Garden Street, where they found a green Acura with damage to its passenger side, mirror and windshield parked on the street.
Police eventually found the person they believe was driving the car, Tony Perez-Silva, 25, of Meriden, hiding in a third-floor closet.
Perez-Silva is charged with driving under the influence, reckless driving, evading responsibility causing serious injury or death, assault in the second degree with a motor vehicle, interfering with police and operating a car with a suspended license. More charges may be added depending on the outcome of the investigation.
Perez-Silva is being held on $150,000 bond.
