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Fornice Cary Boatner 3rd was operating a 2007 silver Dodge Ram with a temporary Texas license plate when he struck Felipe Dos-Santos, 31, on the Parkway at milepost 130.4 in Woodbridge on May 22, around 1 a.m. — then fled the scene, said New Jersey State Police alongside the Liberty County Sheriff's Office.
Boatner fled the scene and Santos' body was found in a ditch three days later, police said.
Detectives developed Boatner as the suspect after learning he was the owner of the Dodge, and obtained information that he fled New Jersey to Cleveland, TX, NJSP said.
On May 28, members of the Houston Police Department, TX and Liberty County Sheriff’s Office located Boatner and his Dodge Ram, then arrested Boatner at his house.
There, they learned Boatner tried to repair his truck after the crash to try to hide the damage sustained, authorities said. He also had a warrant out for his arrest in a 2014 wreck, authorities said.
As a result, Boatner was charged with vehicular homicide, leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash causing death, hindering, obstruction, and tampering with evidence.
On June 10, detectives extradited Boatner to New Jersey where he was lodged in Middlesex County Correctional Facility pending a detention hearing.
The following agencies assisted with the investigation, Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office, Memphis Police Department, TN, Gwinnett County Police Department, GA, Houston Police Department, TX, Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, Liberty County 75th District Attorney’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations - Houston Evidence Response Team.
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