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MURRAY — The man suspected of hitting two rail workers and fleeing the scene in Murray on Thursday is in custody, court documents say. Both of the workers, whose names had not been released, were taken to the hospital with serious injuries. A probable cause statement said one of them had to have his leg amputated and was put on a ventilator. The statement identified the suspected driver as 29-year-old Brandon Palma, who was allegedly driving on a denied license and with no insurance. He also told police he has a history of running from officers. On Thursday, the railroad workers were on the job at 5900 S. 350 West outside their rail vehicle, the statement said. A third worker was inside the vehicle and tried to warn the two victims when they saw "an Acura MDX that appeared suddenly from the west side heading east towards the vehicle." The Acura crashed into the front of the rail vehicle and hit both the workers outside. Then, the driver got out and ran. "The vehicle operator witnessed a single male get out of the Acura ... he checked on the two injured and then fled east on 5900 South," the statement said. Officers on scene were able to find a phone that had an emergency setting activated, which called 911. Dispatchers were able to trace that 911 call to the phone and confirmed it belonged to Palma, the statement said. Database information on Palma matched witness descriptions of him, and police began a search. Detectives were able to determine that Palma's car had recently been seen at a parking lot of a nearby apartment building. When officers knocked at the apartment, Palma's girlfriend and her mom answered the door. They told police he said he hit somebody with his car, the statement said. Detectives then spoke to Palma's mother, who said the same. "Brandon's mother confirmed that he had been in an accident with his white SUV that wasn't registered and that he didn't have a license to drive at this time. She also said she tried to convince him to turn himself in but he ran away on foot," the statement said. Later on Thursday, Palma contacted police and said he wanted to turn himself in, the statement said. He also told officers he has a history of running from officers, and "it's just what he does." "He asked about the people that he crashed into and asked about their medical status," the statement said. "He said that he was a laborer for the road and that the same thing could have happened to him which is why he wanted to surrender and turn himself in." Palma surrendered to police and was taken to a hospital for his injuries from the crash, the statement said. He now faces two felony charges for failing to remain at the scene of an accident, as well as driving without insurance, driving without vehicle registration and driving on a denied license.
