It isn’t likely that the owner of a sport utility vehicle, being investigated as the vehicle that drove off after striking and killing a 4-year-old boy, will turn herself in Wednesday.
Michael Diamondstein, the attorney for the unidentified SUV owner, told NBC10 that she had no plans to turn herself in as police continued to process her SUV.
Police told NBC10 they recovered the black Ford Edge that likely struck and killed Abdul Wilson around 9 p.m. Tuesday in an underground parking garage at Love Park after the owner of the SUV contacted police.
Diamondstein said his client was behind the wheel.
Owner of SUV Suspected in Hit-&-Run May Not Turn Herself in.
A car owner suspected in a deadly hit-&-run that killed a 4-year-old boy and was originally expected to turn herself into police Wednesday but NBC10’s Matt DeLucia talked to her attorney and is finding out how that might change. (Published Wednesday, April 15, 2015)
“I was approached by the driver of the car,” Diamondstein said. “She was very upset about what happened. She contacted us and we contacted police. We let them know the location of the car and provided them with the keys to the car as well.”
Accident investigators weren’t ready yet to talk to the woman about Monday night’s crash near 57th Street and Florence Avenue. Philadelphia Police Accident Investigation Division Capt. John Wilczynsk confirmed that they continued to process the vehicle Wednesday and didn’t expect the woman to surrender to police during that day.
Surveillance video showed Abdul walking between two cars when he was hit by a Ford Edge and knocked 15-feet into the road. The vehicle then drove over the boy as he lay helpless in the street.
“It just broke my heart,” said Raysa Cespezes, a witness. “Since he was so little it was very hard to watch.”
Philadelphia police say they’ve located the vehicle at the center of a deadly hit and run investigation. Monday night, a 4 year old child was killed when he was hit by an SUV. NBC10’s Denise Nakano has new details in the investigation.
The driver, who police said was a woman, then fled south on 57th Street.
Abdul later died at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
The boy’s mother came to the scene minutes after the accident.
“She was just crying for the baby,” Cespezes said. “It was horrible. Something I would never want anybody to go through.”
Two separate hit-and-runs have left one child dead and another in critical condition. Now, police are searching for the vehicles: a black Ford Edge SUV and a white Acura. NBC10’s Doug Shimell has more on the investigations.
A $20,000 reward was offered for anyone with information leading to the arrest and conviction of the driver.
The incident occurred less than an hour before another hit-and-run in Philadelphia. In that crash a mother and her 2-year-old son were struck in the Kensington section of the city. the child remained in critical condition Wednesday.
See what the local and national media are saying about Michael Diamondstein and his cases.
Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice will be allowed to enter a program to avoid prosecution in an alleged assault of his now-wife. Upon successful completion of the program — which will be a minimum of one year — the third-degree charge of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury would be dismissed. The arrest would remain on his record, but with no conviction.We were concerned that Mr. Rice would be treated more harshly because of his celebrity status. We are thankful that he was not. We are thankful that he was given the same treatment as anyone else in a similar situation.
- Michael J. Diamondstein
DT had spent three years in jail and was facing lifetimes more for multiple counts of child rape in Pennsylvania and Maryland. But Michael Diamondstein’s thorough investigation and strategic cross-examination forced prosecutors to withdraw their case mid-jury trial.“Michael Diamondstein is the best lawyer on Earth. He saved my life.”
- DT
Mark Young had been serving a life sentence for what prosecutors say was his role as a coconspirator in a 1974 bar robbery that ended in the shooting death of a patron. The 67-year-old Young, who maintained his innocence for almost 50 years, is now slated to be released from prison after a negotiated guilty plea. The judge vacated Young’s previous conviction and sentence.“The district attorney recognized the inequities in the case and we are thankful for the compassion and justice they decided was appropriate.”
- Michael Diamondstein
Willie Stokes's release comes after the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania vacated his murder conviction, concluding that the state violated Stokes's constitutional rights by "withholding" crucial evidence about the false testimony of a key witness in the case, according to court documents.He took his first free breaths this afternoon after almost 40 years, and he is very happy and humbled.
- Michael J. Diamondstein
Despite that fact that multiple videos showed local rap singer, Monte Small Atwell aka Benjy killing the decedent, a Philadelphia jury found Mr. Atwell Not Guilty of Murder. The video clearly showed that the unarmed decedent was chasing Mr. Atwell. Mr. Atwell’s attorney, Michael Diamondstein litigated a very effective self-defense case. After a number of withering cross examinations and a closing wherein Mr. Diamondstein exhorted the jurors that his client “would rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6” the jury agreed that Mr. Atwell’s actions were justified.Mr. Diamondstein saved my life. He is the best there is.
- Monte Small Atwell aka Benjy
Six members of an elite Philadelphia narcotics squad were acquitted of federal corruption charges – a verdict the men described as “vindication” after nearly a decade of federal scrutiny surrounding their conduct. A jury of six men and six women took 5 1/2 days to reject prosecutors’ arguments that former Officers Thomas Liciardello, Brian Reynolds, Michael Spicer, Perry Betts, Linwood Norman, and John Speiser routinely beat and robbed drug suspects during their time as members of the Narcotics Field Unit.The things that were said about these honorable men and police officers over the last eight to 10 months were ridiculous. A lot of people in this city owe these heroes an apology.
- Michael J. Diamondstein
Philadelphia District Attorney Seth Williams pleaded not guilty to 23 counts of fraud, extortion, and bribery-related charges. But the problems of the city’s cash-strapped top prosecutor continued to mount outside the courtroom, a day after federal authorities accused him of repeatedly selling his influence to wealthy benefactors willing to bankroll his luxury tastes.This indictment is 24 hours old and yet too many politicians and commentators have already tried and convicted Seth Williams in the media. Simply because the government makes explosive allegations in a complaint doesn’t mean they’re going to prove it in a court of law.
- Michael J. Diamondstein
It's 8:00 on a September morning but Michael Diamonstein has already been in his office for hours. A criminal defense lawyer, Diamondstein likes to be prepared before he goes to court. That preparation paid off to get an innocent man cleared of all charges.The man gave me my life back.
- Yusef Bey
With evidence missing and the investigation tainted by the involvement of a detective who pleaded guilty to impeding justice, the District Attorney’s Office has withdrawn murder charges against a 28-year-old man, Dante Hill, in a 2011 shooting outside a North Philadelphia sports bar.Tremendous day, not only for Mr. Hill but for the entire Philadelphia justice system.
- Michael J. Diamondstein
Michael Diamondstein argued the original jail sentence is illegal because the previous judge assigned the case failed to address if Risoldi was eligible for re-entry, which would allow her to be released from jail early.Diamondstein added that Berks County Senior Judge Stephen Lieberman, who is now overseeing the case, has authority to reconsider the sentence made by the previous judge, who retired last year.
On October 10, 2014, the Pennsylvania Superior Court upheld a lower court’s ruling that by failing to provide the defense with a copy of police paperwork in a criminal case (Com. v. Jordan, T., 175 EDA 2014 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2014 )), the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was barred from the evidence at trial.On behalf of Mr. Jordan, we are extremely happy that that the Superior Court upheld the sound decision of Judge Means.
- Michael J. Diamondstein