hit and run

Rampage by Driver Leaves Woman Dead in Philly, Jogger Nearly Killed in Montco

A Philadelphia man has been charged in Montgomery County after he was arrested early Wednesday near Collegeville. Following a deadly rampage in the city that left a woman dead, the suspect then caused chaos in the suburbs, including striking a jogger on purpose, authorities said.

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A hit-and-run driver who struck and killed a mother of three near Philadelphia's South Street early Wednesday then went into the Montgomery County suburbs, where he intentionally hit a jogger, authorities allege.

The rampage began around 2:10 a.m. Wednesday when a suspect identified as Kareem Welton, 40, of 23rd Street, was driving in a stolen car and rear-ended a motorcycle near Broad and Lombard streets, leaving a passenger on the motorcycle hurt.

The driver connected to the five hit-and-run scenes that happened throughout Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs has been arrested. Multiple people were hit in the rampage and one victim did not survive. NBC10's Deanna Durante has the story.

Welton then went down 15th Street toward South Street and hit Adriana Moreno, 31, on the sidewalk as she and a coworker were walking home after their shift at the Steak 48 restaurant in Center City, police said.

A hit-and-run driver who struck and killed a woman near Philadelphia's South Street early Wednesday then went into the Montgomery County suburbs, where he intentionally hit a jogger, authorities allege. NBC10's Stephanía Jiménez has the details.

Video shows Welton speeding down the narrow sidewalk along South 15th Street below South Street. Moreno and her coworker were boxed in by parked cars and buildings, with only the coworker able to jump out of the way.

Adriana Moreno

In the video, the car slams into Moreno, sending her flying onto the windshield. She then falls off as the car speeds down the sidewalk and onto Bainbridge Street. The car then backs up and turns the wrong way on the same sidewalk and drives north.

Moreno, crumpled on the sidewalk, is then run over again by the stolen vehicle.

Moreno was declared dead at Jefferson University Hospital shortly before 5 a.m. Moreno was the mother of three children, including a 4-year-old boy.

After striking Moreno, Welton ditched the car and stole another one, police said. He drove up to the Manayunk neighborhood, where police said he struck someone near Umbria and Hermitage streets. That person was treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

Finally, after daybreak, police in Trappe, Montgomery County, could be seen blocking roads near the 500 block of Main Street. Officers taped off the area surrounding a sedan which still had music blaring from the radio.

The car's windshield was heavily cracked, there were scratches on the driver's side of the front bumper and the driver's side view mirror was hanging off the side of the car.

Before Welton was arrested by Collegeville police in Trappe, he allegedly ran over a 38-year-old jogger at about 5:55 a.m. The jogger was running on the opposite side of the road when Welton's vehicle swerved across the two lanes of Main Street in Collegeville to strike him.

The jogger suffered a broken spine and fractures to his legs and ribs, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele said in a statement later Wednesday afternoon.

"This defendant was not only driving recklessly and at a high rate of speed, but he intentionally targeted the runner and hit him, attempting to kill him,” Steele said. “The intention to kill and seriously injure people can be seen in the defendant’s actions throughout the night.”

In Trappe, Welton got out of the stolen vehicle and tried to steal a bicycle before police officers finally captured him. Just prior to his arrest, as he fled the stolen car, Welton took a puppy from the backseat, Steele said in a statement.

It is unclear what happened to the dog.

Welton is being held in Montgomery County jail on attempted murder and aggravated assault charges. He was arraigned Wednesday night on $2 million cash bail. He has not yet been charged in Philadelphia.

Kareem Welton
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