Suspect arrested 16 months after deadly hit-and-run in Wissinoming

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Police have arrested a Northeast Philadelphia man nearly a year and a half after a hit-and-run that killed a woman crossing Levick Street in Wissinoming, an incident investigators described as violent and deadly.

Authorities said 37-year-old Charles Edward Wright of Northeast Philadelphia was arrested Tuesday in connection with the crash that took the life of 43-year-old Veronica Herling.

Investigators said Herling was crossing the roadway along the 4800 block of Levick Street on Nov. 1, 2024, when she was struck by a vehicle with such force that her sneakers and some jewelry were recovered near the point of impact.

Police said Herling was thrown at least 20 feet into the air and landed about a block away. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

After a lengthy investigation, Wright now faces a series of charges, including murder and homicide by vehicle, police said.

People who live along that stretch of Levick Street said speeding is a persistent problem, particularly for drivers coming off the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge, and they fear it is only a matter of time before someone else is seriously hurt or killed.

"The speed on the bridge is 40 mph, and then once they hit there, they don't slow down for the 25. They keep going straight and they fly. Probably 10 cars in one year get smacked in that same spot," said Chanalle Allison, a neighbor who lives nearby.

John McFarland of Wissinoming says crashes remain frequent at nearby intersections.

"There is still a problem. I fear for people all the time. Keystone and Levick, there's accidents once a week," he said.

The suspect remains behind bars on $1 million bail.