Driver arrested after deadly hit-and-run crash near National Mall

Victim's family speaks after arrest in deadly hit-and-run

An arrest has been made in the deadly hit-and-run crash that killed an elderly man near the National Mall in early July. The victim's family spoke exclusively with FOX 5's Shomari Stone.

WASHINGTON - Authorities have arrested the driver of a vehicle involved in the deadly hit-and-run crash near the National Mall earlier this month.

Benjamin Robertson, 33, of Washington, D.C., was taken into custody Thursday by officers from the U.S. Park Police Department. He is being charged with second-degree murder.

The crash happened Wednesday, July 12, around 1:30 p.m. near 17th Street and Constitution Avenue when U.S. Secret Service officers tried to stop a vehicle they say had an expired registration. Officials say the driver initially indicated that they were going to stop, but quickly drove off down 17th Street.

Officers say the driver of the vehicle then ran a red light and struck two pedestrians who were in the crosswalk. A 75-year-old man – identified by Park Police as Bing Wong from Philadelphia – was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died. His 13-year-old step-granddaughter was also attended to at the scene for minor abrasions.

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Investigators, at the time, were searching for a blue 2006 Honda Accord with Virginia tags 8718BE.

Driver sought after deadly hit-and-run crash near National Mall

Authorities say they are looking for the driver of a vehicle with a Virginia license plate following a deadly hit-and-run crash near the National Mall.

FOX 5's Homa Bash says Department of Motor Vehicle records show about $720 in unpaid tickets linked to that license plate. The most recent ticket was issued in August of last year for speeding 16 to 20 miles over the limit on H Street.

The other tickets were for speeding in 2021 and 2022.