Indy driver charged, arrested after fatal hit-and-run on Massachusetts Avenue

INDIANAPOLIS — A 40-year-old Indianapolis man is behind bars after he was accused of leaving the scene of a fatal hit-and-run that occurred on the east side of Indianapolis in mid-July 2024.

According to court documents filed in Marion County in January, Dustin Harvey was charged with one count of failure to remain at the scene of an accident resulting in death, a Level 4 felony.

Police said Harvey was tracked down to Texas before being returned to Marion County this week.

The crash took place on July 12, 2024 and was caught on camera by a nearby business in the 5200 block of Massachusetts Avenue.

That video reportedly shows the driver of a silver Chrysler stopped at 30th and Massachusetts before the car pulls into traffic and clipped the side of a red Nissan Juke traveling northeast-bound on Massachusetts Avenue.

The collision sent the small SUV tumbling off the road before it came to rest on its side. 31-year-old Ivan Castro died from a head injury after being thrown from the SUV.

After the accident, the documents said the driver of the Chrysler “stopped for a minute and then fled the scene.”

While the crash itself may have been an accident, it became a crime when video reportedly showed the driver of the damaged Chrysler speed away.

“So accidents happen and mistakes happen, but leaving the scene of a crash is a choice and it’s a serious crime,” said IMPD Sgt. Amanda Hibschman.

After the deadly crash, police claim the suspect’s car was abandoned at a grocery store, where it was later towed away.

Police on the scene used the front bumper and the vehicle’s VIN information to track down the person who the car was registered under — a family member of Harvey’s. The documents said that a confidential informant later told police that “Dutty,” later identified as Harvey, reportedly borrowed the vehicle and was the driver when the crash occurred.

According to the affidavit filed the case, police used cell phone records to place Harvey near the scene of the crime at the time of the incident.

Police also recovered surveillance video from Harvey’s employer, which allegedly showed Harvey driving the Chrysler before the crash.

The Chrysler was later located at a tow shop. The documents said that the vehicle had front-end damage on the passenger side and that the bumper was missing.

The death was one of a record breaking 31 fatal hit-and-run crashes IMPD investigated in 2024.   That’s why police again urge all drivers to take accountability for their actions.

“You have the responsibility every time you get behind the wheel to pay attention and follow the rules of the road and staying at the scene of an accident is a law in Indiana and that’s a responsibility to have every time you get behind the wheel,” said Hibschman.

Previous court records show Harvey has been charged 16 times over the last 20 years with various traffic offenses including repeatedly driving on a suspended license.

Harvey’s initial hearing is scheduled for Wednesday morning. In the meantime, he’s being held on a $40,000 bond.