Indy driver arrested within 24 hours of fatal hit-and-run on Indy’s east side

INDIANAPOLIS -- A 25-year-old Indianapolis man is in jail accused of killing a pedestrian and leaving the scene of the crash on the city’s east side this week. The arrest took place within 24 hours of the fatal crash on Shadeland Avenue. Just before 8:30 p.m. Monday, a man named Stephen Wasczcek was killed while walking in the 3500 block of Shadeland Avenue, where there are only snow-filled ditches and no sidewalks. “Unfortunately, a lot of the city just isn't built for people that aren't in vehicles, like Shadeland Avenue. It's a terrible situation and a terrible area for pedestrians,” said Eric Holt with Safe Streets Indy. After the crash, witnesses quickly told police a white Chrysler 300 sped away from the scene. Detectives then used traffic cameras to get a license plate number and identify 25-year-old Jevontae Wilkins as the alleged driver. According to court records, after police spoke to the suspect’s friends and family, Wilkins turned himself in Tuesday night where he reportedly confessed to hitting the victim and driving away. Police and safety advocates again hope cases like this serve as a lesson for drivers everywhere. “You are responsible when you get behind that wheel. If (you) are involved in an accident, you need to contact the police,” said IMPD officer Tommy Thompson. “If you leave the scene and someone is hurt, these are criminal acts and you could be held accountable.” Police claim Wilkins admitted he abandoned the damaged car at a junkyard on East 30th Street, where officers found the car with the victim’s hair still embedded in the broken windshield. While IMPD reports there were significantly fewer fatal hit-and-run crashes in 2025 compared to the year before, a map marking every incident last year where drivers fled the scene of an accident illustrates how hit-and-run crimes involving property damage and minor injuries remain a daily problem. “We're just asking for people to do the right thing and take responsibility for their actions,” said Holt.  “Driving is a privilege, and there are a lot of responsibilities that come along with i,t and one of those is if you're involved in something like thi,s you stop and get the person the care that they need.” While formal charges are still pending by the prosecutor’s office, Wilkins is set to make his initial court hearing later this week.