An anonymous Crime Stoppers of El Paso tip led to the arrest of an El Paso man wanted in connection with a fatal December hit-and-run crash, authorities said.
Police arrested George Thomas Halvorsen, 39, on Thursday, March 19, on one count of collision involving death in connection with a Dec. 26 crash that resulted in the death of 36-year-old Miguel Eduardo Rodriguez, El Paso Police Department spokesman Officer Adrian Cisneros said in a news release.
George Thomas Halvorsen
Halvorsen was also arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance. No attorney is named for Halvorsen in court records.
Crime Stoppers of El Paso tip leads to arrest
The fatal crash happened about 12 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 26, on U.S. 54 near Ellerthorpe Avenue in Northeast El Paso.
Miguel Eduardo Rodriguez, 36, stopped his car on Gateway North and began walking on the shoulder of U.S. 54 near Ellerthorpe, El Paso Police Department spokesperson Detective Judy Oviedo said in a December news release.
A vehicle being driven north on U.S. 54 struck Rodriguez and fled the scene. Rodriguez was taken to a hospital, where he later died.
More: El Paso police searching for driver in Northeast hit-and-run crash
El Paso police called on the public for help in finding the hit-and-run driver. The only information released by the police at the time of the wreck was that the vehicle may have sustained damage to the front-right corner.
Crime Stoppers of El Paso received an anonymous tip on the fatal crash. The tip led officers to find and arrest Halvorsen on Thursday, March 19, in connection with the wreck. The vehicle listed as the one involved in the crash is a 2008 Chevy Silverado.
Halvorsen was booked into the El Paso County jail the next day on a bond totaling $105,000. He remains jailed as of Monday, March 23, jail records show.
Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times. He may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Hit-and-run suspect arrested after police receive Crime Stoppers tip