HAMILTON, Mont. (AP) - A trial is underway in western Montana for a man charged with negligent homicide and leaving the scene of a crash last summer that killed a 9-year-old Hamilton boy as he crossed the road on his scooter.
Joseph McNamara, 60, is also charged with criminal endangerment, drug possession and tampering with evidence in the death of Robert Anthony Leonardi on July 7, 2019.
The boy’s father, Phil Leonardi, testified Tuesday that he was working in his shop when he heard the screeching of tires and looked up and saw his son tumbling.
Leonardi testified a man ran up and said “I couldn’t see him. I couldn’t see him.”
Leonardi said he handed his phone to the man and asked him to call 911, but the man said “I can’t. I can’t,” A witness testified the driver ran back to his van and sped away, the Ravalli Republic reported.
Colleen Benson testified she was walking her dog the next day when she found Leonardi’s phone on the edge of the road about two blocks from where Robert was struck and killed.
McNamara’s ex-girlfriend, Andrea Golie, testified that she had McNamara drank alcohol and used methamphetamine in the hours before the fatal crash.
The Montana Highway Patrol found that McNamara made a call a minute before the 911 call that reported Robert had been hit.
McNamara’s attorney did not make an opening statement but reserved the right to do so later. The trial is expected to run through Friday.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.