Vehicle involved in fatal accident found in Niles

A 17-year-old male is in custody in connection with a fatal hit-and-run accident that occurred Monday night in St. Joseph County, Ind.

The St. Joseph County (Ind.) Prosecutor’s Office said Wednesday afternoon that the teenager is the suspect driver of a 1992 Honda that allegedly struck and killed 49-year-old David Fordyce Monday night at the site of another fatal crash near the intersection of S.R. 933 and Auten Road.

The prosecutor’s office released the suspect’s name in a prepared statement, saying the office “filed a delinquency petition against [name redacted due to the Niles Daily Star’s policy against naming juveniles unless charged as an adult or other extenuating circumstances], alleging the juvenile committed an act which if committed by an adult would be a felony.”

The teenager remains in custody at the St. Joseph County Juvenile Justice Center. A preliminary hearing has been or 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.

The incident began at

approximately 11:20 p.m. Monday when St. Joseph County Police responded to a crash in which a pedestrian was struck and killed by a vehicle on S.R. 933.

The pedestrian, 43-year-old Michael Marks, was struck by a red truck traveling on S.R. 933. The driver of the truck stopped after striking Marks, who was later pronounced deceased. No charges have been filed against the driver of the red truck and police do not believe alcohol was involved.

Subsequently, Fordyce was struck by another vehicle as he attempted to wave traffic away from Marks’ body. The vehicle that struck Fordyce left the scene of the accident.

After authorities released a description of the vehicle, the St. Joseph County Fatal Alcohol Crash Team (FACT) received an anonymous tip from CrimeStoppers Tuesday evening that the suspect vehicle could be found in the 300 block of W. Main St. in Niles.

Niles Police located the vehicle, which is believed to be the one involved in the accident based on damage to it, according to the prosecutor’s office.

The juvenile suspect was taken into custody at the Mishawaka Police Department shortly after 9 p.m. Tuesday. While in custody, the suspect voluntarily admitted he was the driver of the Honda, according to the prosecutor’s office.