Suspect in deadly West Jordan hit-and-run identified by police, still at large

WEST JORDAN, Utah (ABC4) — Officials have identified the man who is believed to have been driving an SUV that struck a motorcyclist late last month. The motorcyclist later died in the hospital.

Police are searching for Erasmo Onofre-Rodriguez, who also goes by “Ponciano” and “Toshiro,” according to the West Jordan Police Department. He has several tattoos on his left forearm, with one tattoo that says “Alejandro.”

Anyone with information about Onofre-Rodriguez’s whereabouts has been asked to call the West Jordan Police Department at 801-840-4000 and reference case WJ25-15827.

Police said the investigation is ongoing.

Background

The hit-and-run happened on March 25, and officials responded to the scene just after 8:30 p.m. that night.

On March 26, officers received a tip about a possible sighting of the suspect vehicle in a neighborhood, and authorities identified the registered owner of the vehicle after searching in law enforcement databases.

The owner of the vehicle, Sabino Lazaro, was arrested for obstruction of justice on March 27. His car was described to be a 2002 GMC Yukon, which matched the description of the SUV seen on video at the scene of the hit-and-run, according to arrest documents.

Officers recovered “a portion of a motorcycle helmet” from the passenger seat of the car, as well as fabric and a backpack strap from other damaged areas of the car. According to arrest documents, Lazaro was taken in for questioning on March 27 and originally told officials his car had been stolen on the day of the hit-and-run.

He later told officers he was aware of the incident, and knew who was driving the car at the time of the hit-and-run.

Lazaro told officers the driver — his friend and co-worker, identified only as Ponciano — had called him shortly after the incident and told him details of it. On the night of the incident, March 25, Lazaro said he called 911 and “falsely reported his vehicle as stolen” after speaking with the alleged driver.

“[Lazaro] also admitted to deleting phone call records from Ponciano that could have assisted detectives in their investigation,” arrest documents said.