EPPD: Chaparral man charged in deadly hit-and-run in Northeast El Paso

Investigators with the police department’s Special Traffic Investigations (STI) Unit arrested and charged a man blamed for a deadly hit-and-run in Northeast El Paso.

Jorge Benjamin Meza, 23, of Chaparral, New Mexico, is blamed for the collision that claimed the life of Juan Manuel Pasillas, 47.

Police charged Meza with Accident Involving Death. The collision happened on the 10300 block of Dyer near Sun Valley at about 1:10 a.m. on January 26, 2019.

Police said a preliminary investigation revealed Pasillas was walking west on Sun Valley and crossed at the Dyer intersection. Pasillas, police said, walked against the red light, failing to yield the right of way to traffic travelling on Dyer with a green light.

Pasillas was struck by the driver of a light-colored, four-door sedan who allegedly failed to stop and render aid at the scene.

Minutes later, police said, Pasillas was run over by the driver of a Dodge Challenger travelling in the south lanes of Dyer. Pasillas died at the scnene, police said.

According to investigators, Pasillas was accompanied by two other pedestrians at the time of the collision but they too left the scene, abandoning Pasillas after he was struck. Police did not say whether Pasillas was intoxicated.

Meza was identified by police as the driver of the silver 2006 Nissan that struck Pasillas, police officials said. He reportedly met with STI investigators and was booked into the El Paso County Jail on a bond totaling $15,000.

Police did not say whether the driver of the Challenger will be charged.