Suspect, car owner charged in fatal Penn Hills hit-and-run

BY JEFF STITT
jstitt@yourmvi.com
Two people, including a McKeesport woman, have been charged in connection with a Penn Hills hit-and-run death in April — she turned herself in a day after a warrant was issued for her arrest and a man was picked up Wednesday night, police said.
Modesty Hopper, 21, is charged with hindering apprehension for allegedly refusing to give police the name of the man driving her car the night Joseph Morris was struck and killed in Penn Hills.
Hopper is now in Allegheny County Jail.
Late Wednesday night, detectives identified the alleged driver of the Saturn involved in the death of Morris as 21-year-old Surron Burch.
Detectives acquired an arrest warrant for Burch yesterday and he was arrested at a home in Penn Hills by deputies from the Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Squad. Burch is charged with homicide by vehicle, involuntary manslaughter and several other charges related to this incident. He will be taken to the Allegheny County Jail, officials said.
Morris, 51, was walking from work after dark on April 28 when he was struck by a vehicle on Hershey Avenue and dragged about a half-mile to Universal Road, according to police. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Morris was walking home after finishing work at a local Duquesne Light facility when he was struck, police said.

To read the rest of the story, please see a copy of Thursday’s Mon Valley Independent, call 724-314-0035 to subscribe or subscribe to our online edition at http://monvalleyindependent.com.