Suspect vehicle
UPDATE (July 18, 2023):
STEUBEN CO., Ind. (ADAMS) – The 46-year-old woman who hit and killed an Angola teenager and badly injured another boy will spend the next 12 years in prison.
Hope Richmond said in court yesterday that she is not a heartless person.
She hit and killed 13-year-old Wayden Bennett, and 12-year-old Ryly Cummings suffered a cut to his head.
Bennett’s family urged the judge to take away her driver’s license for good, but it was suspended for a maximum of five years instead.
Read more here
UPDATE (October 4, 2022):
STEUBEN CO., Ind. (ADAMS) – The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office has arrested 45-year-old Hope Richmond of Montpelier, Ohio for a hit-and-run that turned deadly.
The 13-year-old boy who was struck on Saturday has died. Police initially said he was in “grave” condition.
Richmond was arrested at a home near Fremont around 5:30 Monday evening after police released a photo of the vehicle they believed had hit the boys.
Richmond is charged with leaving the scene of a deadly accident and leaving the scene of an accident causing serious bodily injury.
The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office released the following:
Sheriff Rodney Robinson is announcing that an arrest has been made in connection with the investigation into the hit & run accident that has resulted in the death of a 13 year old child which occurred on 10/01/2022 on CR 275 N near Lake James. 45 year old Hope A. Richmond of Montpelier, OH was taken into custody by Sheriff’s detectives at a residence near the intersection of SR 827 and CR 400 N south of Fremont just before 5:30 pm on 10/03/2022.
The Sheriff’s Office was following up on a tip received from a good citizen of Steuben County who reported seeing a vehicle possibly involved in the incident parked at the residence on SR 827. Sheriff’s detectives subsequently made contact with Richmond and her vehicle at the residence. Damage to the vehicle appeared to be consistent with the crash and Richmond placed herself and her vehicle in the area of the crash.
Following an interview with Sheriff’s detectives, Richmond was booked into the Steuben County Jail on one count of leaving the scene of a fatal accident, a level 4 felony and one count of leaving the scene of an accident causing serious bodily injury. She remains held without bond pending an initial court appearance. A search warrant was also obtained to seize Richmond’s silver 2012 Jeep Liberty as evidence as the instigation continues.
The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank all those who assisted with providing an overwhelming amount of tips and information that ultimately lead to the apprehension of the driver and vehicle believed to be involved in the crash.
UPDATE #2 (October 4, 2022):
The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office has now released the identities of the teenage boys that were hit on Saturday night before the driver took off. One of the boys died as a result. The other has been released from the hospital and is expected to recover.
The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office released the following:
The two juveniles struck by a vehicle that fled on CR 275 N in Steuben County back on 10/01/2022 have been identified. The victims are 12 year old Ryly Cumings and 13 year old Wayden Bennett both of rural Angola. Ryly has since been released from the hospital after being treated for a head laceration and Wayden succumb to his injuries and passed away on 10/03/2022. The incident remains under investigation by the Sheriff’s Office.
ORIGINAL STORY:
STEUBEN CO., Ind. (ADAMS) – Two boys are hospitalized after being struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run in Steuben County on Saturday.
They were struck just before 9 p.m. as they walked along West CR 275 N in Pleasant Township.
A 13-year-old boy is reported to be in “grave condition” according to authorities, while the 12-year-old victim suffered minor injuries.
The Steuben County Sheriff’s Office released the following:
The Sheriff’s Office is investigating a leaving the scene, personal injury vehicle crash that occurred in the 1500 block of West CR 275 N in Steuben County’s rural Pleasant Township. On Saturday October 1st, 2022 at approximately 8:55 pm, Steuben County Sheriff’s 911 received a report of a vehicle crash in which two pedestrians were injured. Upon the arrival of Sheriff’s Deputies, two juveniles were located near the roadway with significant injuries.
One 12-year-old male juvenile, was transported to Cameron Memorial Community Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. A second 13 year old male juvenile was initially transported to Cameron Hospital, then flown to Parkview Regional Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana for treatment of injuries.
The 13-year-old juvenile is listed in grave condition that this time. The names of the victims are being withheld by the Sheriff’s Office at this time in order to give the families involved ample time to make all necessary notifications.
Initial crash scene investigation revealed that an unknown vehicle was traveling eastbound on CR 275 N and struck the juveniles whom were walking along the roadway. The vehicle, and driver, involved in the crash left the scene before the arrival of first responders.
This incident remains under investigation by Sheriff’s Office Detectives. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the Steuben County Sheriff’s Office Tip Line at 260-668- 4646 or Steuben County Crime Stoppers at 260-668-STOP.
Assisting the Sheriff’s Office were the Angola City Police Department, Angola Fire Department, Steuben County EMS, and Parkview Samaritan Helicopter.
