Rhode Island man accused of killing one and injuring another in hit-and-run crash

A Rhode Island man has been charged in a hit-and-run collision that killed a man and seriously injured a woman.

According to police, on Thursday, members of the Warwick Police Department, assisted by North Kingstown PD, arrested 24-year-old Dannys L. De Jesus Marcano at his North Kingstown home after Warwick Detectives located the vehicle that was involved in Sunday’s Fatal Hit & Run. 

De Jesus Mercano has been charged with one count of Duty to stop in accidents resulting in death, and one count of Duty to stop in accidents resulting in serious bodily injury.

On Sunday, at approximately 9:39 p.m. officers were dispatched to the area of 709 Quaker Lane in Warwick for the report of a Motor Vehicle Accident involving a pedestrian.

On arrival, officers found two victims in the Route 2 South bound lane of travel, 44-year-old Nicholas Cote of Warwick, who was pronounced deceased at the scene, and 26-year-old Logan Barboza of West Warwick who was transported to Rhode Island Hospital with serious bodily injuries. 

A witness remained on scene and provided a written statement to investigating officers. 

Initial findings show that Barboza had been traveling south on Quaker Lane when her vehicle struck Cote, who was on foot, in the right, south bound lane. Upon getting out to check his condition, a dark colored SUV, described as a Jeep Grand Cherokee, struck Barboza causing serious bodily injury, and ran over Cote resulting in fatal injury. The Jeep then continued south bound on Quaker Lane without stopping. 

A friend stated that on Sunday night at 9:35 p.m. Cote sent him a text message saying someone dropped him off in the rain. He was struck moments later.

According to a GoFundMe fundraiser, Barbosa is in critical condition in the trauma intensive care unit suffering from broken facial bones, a broken nose, broken jaw, broken eye socket, extensive scarring on her face, a fractured spine, damaged nerves in her arm, brain bleed, a punctured lung, broken ankle, a lacerated liver, 2 broken legs, a broken hand, mutilated fingers, and more.

De Jesus Mercano will be arraigned on Friday morning.