Man who evaded police for weeks after 7-year-old boy died in hit-and-run accident arrested

A 32-year-old suspect who was on the run from authorities for nearly three weeks following the alleged hit-and-run death of a 7-year-old boy on a skateboard has been arrested, authorities said.

Donald Mynatt, 32, is wanted by Cleveland police for leaving the scene of an accident that killed the child. On Aug. 16, 7-year-old Amir Prewitt was riding his skateboard in a parking lot in the area of ​​16000 Lakeshore Blvd. in east Cleveland, Ohio, and was allegedly struck and pulled under the suspect's vehicle before the driver fled the scene, according to a statement from the U.S. Marshals on Wednesday.

The young boy was immediately taken to the hospital but later succumbed to injuries sustained in the hit-and-run accident, authorities said.

“Cleveland Police Department Homicide Investigators were able to identify the vehicle, a Mercedes SUV, from the scene of the accident and found it abandoned a day later,” the U.S. Marshals said. “On August 28, investigators issued an arrest warrant for Donald Mynatt for leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in the child's death. Members of the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force immediately began searching for Mynatt.”

After nearly three weeks of fleeing from police, the task force found Mynatt early Wednesday morning in an apartment building in the 4800 block of East 355th Street in Willoughby, Ohio.

“Mynatt was arrested there without incident and transported to Cleveland Police,” officials said.

“I am grateful for the cooperation of our members and the United States Marshals Service in making this arrest. The loss of Amir has impacted our community and the police department. Our teams have worked tirelessly to investigate and pursue all leads to provide closure to Amir's family. We ask the community to keep his family in their prayers,” said Chief Todd.

“Members of our task force are working diligently to find and apprehend this suspect. It was clear that he knew he was wanted and did everything he could to evade capture. This suspect had no regard for this child's life and we hope that this arrest will allow the family to begin to grieve and the justice system to begin to work for Amir,” added U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott.

The investigation into Prewitt's death is currently ongoing.