PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Authorities have charged a teenager in the fatal hit-and-run of a beloved DJ, killed late last month while riding his bike in West Philly.
The 17-year-old is not being identified by city officials, but Philly police said he turned himself in, accompanied by his mother and attorney, to face charges including homicide by vehicle, accident involving death, driving without a license and involuntary manslaughter.
The teen has been accused of crashing into June Rodriguez, a longtime DJ at Bob and Barbara’s Lounge on South Street.
Rodriguez was riding his bike near Dec. 20 at 56th Street and Lancaster Avenue. Police said just before 4 a.m., he tried to make a left at that intersection when an SUV struck him from behind and kept driving.
The 54-year-old Rodriguez was taken to a nearby hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Through a lengthy investigation, authorities said they developed a suspect and got an arrest warrant for the teen.
Rodriguez was a staple at Bob and Barbara’s Lounge, working many shifts and positions through decades. He was said to be a “very special soul” who will be “forever missed and loved.”
“June knew how to lighten every room he walked into,” said Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, a friend of Rodriguez’s, in a video posted to social media after his death. “He treated people with a kindness that we could only hope to see matched around this world.”