A Trevose man has been charged in the fatal hit and run of a 14-year-old boy in Bensalem following a six-month investigation.
James Shulski, 35, of Helen Street, surrendered to Bensalem Police on Tuesday, Jan. 23. He was charged with accidents involving death or person injury, a felony, and duty to give information and render aid, a summary offense. He was arraigned before District Judge Joseph Falcone, who set bail at 10% of $100,000. Family members immediately posted bail, and Shulski was released.
Bensalem Police responded to a call of a struck pedestrian on Street Road near the Route 1 overpass at 10:15 p.m. July 6.
Upon arrival, they found a 14-year-old boy in the center travel lane who had severe injuries and was unresponsive. Life-saving measures were performed, but the boy died from the injuries he sustained after being struck by a vehicle.
Last summer, Bensalem Sgt. Glenn Vandegrift said the boy was in the middle of the road when he was struck in the westbound lanes of Street Road just before reaching the Route 1 overpass.
Police said they discovered that the striking vehicle stopped briefly; the driver got out but returned to his car and fled. Investigators found surveillance video showing a gray Honda Accord traveling westbound on Street Road just prior to the crash. After striking the child, the vehicle fled westbound into Lower Southampton. The vehicle was then tracked backward utilizing surveillance cameras.
Prior to the crash, the registration of the striking vehicle was captured by a license plate reader. Investigators went to the registered address of the vehicle owner and found a gray Honda Accord parked at the residence. The Honda had damage consistent with striking a pedestrian. Police spoke with the vehicle owner and then attempted to speak with Shulski, who lived at the address but refused to answer any questions, police said.
The Honda Accord was seized pursuant to a search warrant, inspected, and evidence collected. Investigators also obtained a search warrant for Shulski’s cell phone records. A detailed review of those records placed his cellular phone near the crash scene at the time of the incident, police said. A search warrant for his DNA was served, and the DNA recovered from the vehicle’s steering wheel matched the known DNA sample of Shulski, police added.
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