Teen charged in connection with crash that killed mother of 4

INDIANA COUNTY, Pa. — A teenager who told police he thought he hit a deer the night a mother of four was struck and killed in Cherryhill Township has now been charged in connection with the hit-and-run accident.

Nicholas Patterson, 19, faces charges including leaving the scene of an accident involving death.

FREE APPS | NOW | FACEBOOK | TWITTER

• 'Frustrated' Roethlisberger says he's in a lot of pain, doesn't think hit was dirty
• WARNING: An old Facebook scam is making the rounds again
• Family who lost father/husband in Iraq seated next to Keisel & Polamalu at Pirates game
• PHOTOS: 'Pirate Parrot' visits newborns at West Penn Hospital

Channel 11's Melanie Gillespie reports police searched phone records for Patterson, and discovered at least one text message that was sent around the time of the crash.

Leslie Bennett, 45, was walking along Route 553 the night of Sept. 6 when she was hit and killed.

The truck Patterson was driving caught fire three days later, but investigators were able to recover evidence from it.

Patterson went to police more than a week after the accident, and told them he thought he may be responsible.

Charges were not filed at that time.

Patterson was released from jail on unsecured bond following his arrest.

RELATED CONTENT:

• Teen believes he may be responsible for hitting, killing mother of 4

• Several days later, authorities still looking for driver in fatal pedestrian hit-and-run

• Woman dies after hit-and-run in Indiana County

WPXI