SAN ANTONIO – A single piece of evidence and a good tip led police to the arrest of a man suspected in a deadly hit-and-run.
That man reportedly drove off after hitting the victim, Edward Martinez Ramos Jr., who was riding his bike on the West Side of town last month. Ramos was later pronounced dead.
Gabriel Morales faces a second-degree felony in connection with the hit-and-run that happened in the 300 block of Frio City Road on June 24.
A gray driver's side mirror cover was found at the scene and was traced back to a Nissan Sentra. Three days later, police were tipped off to an address on the Southwest Side where Morales and his girlfriend were staying.
After interviewing Morales’ girlfriend, she told officers that Morales had hit a bicyclist and admitted the car was moved to another home a couple of blocks away near Zarzamora Street and Southwest Military. That's when officers learned the car was registered to Morales’ mother.
In an affidavit, his mother said she wasn't hiding the vehicle but moved it because Morales had claimed he hit a parked car.
While taking a closer look at that vehicle, officers found the driver's side mirror cover was missing and is believed to be the same cover found at the scene.
Morales was taken into custody and questioned, but police said he changed his story during the interview.