Hobart, IN – A critical clue in a fatal hit-and-run investigation led to an arrest in Puerto Rico, announced by the Hobart Police Department. The suspect, 20-year-old Robelis Soto-Echevarria from Gary, Indiana, was apprehended on February 21, 2024, for the alleged involvement in the death of Richard Hunt, 59, of Lake Station.
According to police, a pivotal lead in the December 2023 hit-and-run case was a purchased headlight for a Honda Odyssey. This clue, coupled with video surveillance and witness statements, enabled investigators to trace the vehicle involved in the accident. The gray 2007 Honda Odyssey, later found in Gary, Indiana, showed damage matching the accident’s evidence.
The tragic incident occurred on December 26, 2023, when Hunt was fatally struck by a vehicle on East 37th Avenue in Hobart. His body wasn’t discovered until the following morning. The investigation culminated in charges against Soto-Echevarria for Leaving the Scene of an Accident Resulting in Death or Catastrophic Injury, a Level 4 Felony.
This arrest was a collaborative effort involving the US Marshal’s Great Lakes Fugitive Task Force, the Puerto Rico Violent Offender Task Force, the South Lake County Crash Reconstruction Team, and the Lake Station Police Department.
