LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — A Lancaster County man has been charged in a hit-and-run accident that killed a Berks County man last month, authorities announced Thursday.
Moshe Notis, 28, of Lancaster Township, is charged with felony counts of homicide by vehicle and accidents involving death or injury and summary counts of duty to give information and render aid, failure to notify police of accident involving injury or death, careless driving, and overtaking a vehicle on the left, according to the Berks County District Attorney's Office.
Notis is accused of striking Anson Burkholder with his vehicle on September 30 on Route 222 North in the vicinity of Richmaiden Road and Pleasant Hill Road in Maidencreek Township, according to District Attorney John T. Adams.
Burkholder was riding his bicycle at the time of the crash, according to Adams. He was traveling to his family's farm to tend to their animals.
When Burkholder's brother was unable to locate him, he went looking and eventually discovered a bent bicycle tire on the shoulder of the road, according to investigators.
Burkholder's body and the remnants of the bicycle were found in a nearby cornfield, investigators said.
Also found at the scene were parts of a front bumper, tire and fender of a black vehicle, according to investigators.
Shortly after Burkholder's body was found, a witness contacted Northern Berks Regional Police to report that they noticed damage to the front end of Notis' vehicle. The witness knew Notis and questioned him about the damage, according to police.
Notis allegedly told the witness that the damage occurred when he struck a pole with his vehicle, the witness reported. When questioned further, Notis allegedly told the witness that he had struck a deer.
The witness contacted police after hearing reports of the fatal hit-and-run crash, police said.
Investigators contacted Manheim Township Police in Lancaster County and asked them to check on Notis' vehicle, a black 2014 Toyota Sienna.
A Manheim Township officer confirmed there was damage to the front end of the vehicle, and reported there was a hammer lying in the vicinity of the front passenger side. It appeared as though someone had tried to fix the damage to the front end of the vehicle. The officer reported observing pry marks and paint transfer on the vehicle, police said.
Investigators obtained a search warrant to examine the vehicle, and found suspected hair and other evidence on the vehicle's front end, investigators claim. Some of the vehicle parts found at the scene also matched damage to the front end of Notis' minivan, according to investigators.
Notis was charged on Wednesday and remanded to Berks County Prison after failing to post bail, according to court records.
