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SALT LAKE CITY — An arrest warrant has been issued for a man police say hit two teenage boys on an electric bicycle but then drove off and hasn't been seen since.
Javier Vazquez-Costeno, 32, was recently charged in 3rd District Court with failing to stop at a serious injury accident, a third-degree felony; failing to stop at an injury accident, a class A misdemeanor; and not having a valid driver's license, an infraction.
On Jan. 15, about 4:30 a.m., two boys, ages 13 and 14, were on an electric bicycle near 1300 S. West Temple, when they were hit from behind by a Nissan Frontier, according to charging documents. One boy "was unconscious and appeared to have been dragged" while the other had road rash on his face, the charges state.
Based on surveillance video collected by detectives, police believe the unconscious boy was found laying in the road by a passing motorist about 18 minutes after being hit, according to a recently unsealed search warrant affidavit.
The boy was taken to a local hospital where doctors determined that he "suffered a traumatic brain injury, fractured right scapula, rib fractures, a pelvis fracture, extensive lung bruising," and a laceration to his kidneys, the warrant states.
The other boy was found "conscious and disoriented in the area, asking responding officers what happened, and having no recollection of the collision," according to the warrant. He was treated for bruises and road rash.
Detectives also observed in surveillance video that the bike went under the front bumper of the vehicle, which "then drags the bike leaving a massive trail of sparks," charging documents state.
Police found the bike at 250 W. 1300 South. The first evidence of blood on the roadway was found 160 feet away from where the collision happened, police say.
"The suspect vehicle and driver never returned to the scene to check the welfare of the victims, and never contacted police," the warrant states.
On Jan. 16, Salt Lake police received a tip that Vazquez-Costeno was possibly the driver. The tipster told investigators that Vazquez-Costeno had called and claimed "he had fallen asleep at the wheel and possibly hit something," the charges state. He then asked the tipster to drive him back to the area of 1300 S. West Temple where he saw police still at the scene, causing Vazquez-Costeno "to panic and (demand) he be returned home," according to the charges.
After seeing news reports of the crash, the tipster realized Vazquez-Costeno was responsible, the charges state. Vazquez-Costeno claimed he would contact police, but has not been heard from since.
"As the defendant has turned off his cellphone, is no longer returning phone calls/text, and his current whereabouts are unknown, the state is requesting the defendant be held without bail pending the outcome of this case" once he is found and arrested, the charges state.
Anyone with information about Vazquez-Costeno is asked to call Salt Lake City police at 801-799-3000.
