Suspect arrested in Elkhart fatal hit & run

ELKHART, Ind. (WNDU) - Police have arrested 34-year-old Ronnie Hapner of Elkhart following a fatal hit & run.

Just after 11 p.m. Friday night, officers were called to the 3000 block of Greenleaf Boulevard.

On scene, they found two 18-year-old males both suffering from life-threatening injuries.

Mckade Nielsen of Elkhart was on a skateboard and taken to memorial hospital in south bend.

Blaine Fisher of Elkhart was on a bicycle and unfortunately pronounced dead at the scene.

Those who live nearby say they are absolutely devastated by what happened.

“I’m always worried about the safety of the road. So I feel like you could see something like this happening just with how fast people go on this road and there’s no sidewalk, no bike path. Obviously heartbreaking. You feel for the parents and for the family,” Kayla Johnson who lives nearby said.

“I feel empathy for the parents and the friends and all of the people that know him,” Grady Johnson who lives nearby said.

Sunday morning just before 4 am, officers and detectives arrested Hapner for leaving the scene of a serious body injury accident and leaving the scene of a fatal accident.

Under Indiana law, all persons arrested for a criminal offense are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Stay with 16 News now for updates on this developing story.