Leslie William Church

A Cape Coral man has been charged in a hit-and-run that critically injured a 73-year-old man after a resident spotted a vehicle matching the one sought in the Saturday night crash.

Leslie William Church, 39, has been charged with hit and run- leaving the scene of a crash with injury- leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, police said Wednesday morning.

The accident happened shortly before 6:50 p.m. in the 1400 Block of Southeast16th Place. The 73-year-old man was walking south along the shoulder of the roadway when he was struck by an oncoming vehicle. Traffic investigators estimate that the vehicle was traveling 50 mph when the pedestrian was struck.

A news release was sent out asking for the public’s assistance in locating the vehicle that struck the elderly man and fled the scene.

On Tuesday, an anonymous citizen entered the Tennis Pro Shop at the Cape Coral Yacht Club at 7 p.m. and told the attendant that they had seen what they believed to be the car described in the news release parked in the parking lot. The witness described the car as a dark green Chrysler Sebring with damage to the passenger side. The Pro Shop attendant called Cape Coral Police.

Investigators located the driver, Leslie William Church, and questioned him about the crash.

Church confessed to police that he had been involved in a hit and run crash on Saturday in which he struck someone, officials said.

Church was arrested and booked into the Lee County Jail .

“We are grateful that this anonymous citizen made the choice to get involved and provide us with this tip,” said police spokesperson Lt. Tony Sizemore in a prepared statement. “When we talk about Community Engagement, this is what we are talking about. The citizens and their police department working together to solve crime and keep this community safe, pure and simple.”

Source: Cape Coral Police Department