ALLENTOWN, Pa. — An Allentown man is facing multiple felony charges after authorities accused him of hitting and killing an 85-year-old man as he crossed the street in October 2023.
Jorge Gonzalez, 40, was charged Friday with homicide by vehicle, causing an accident involving death or personal injury and involuntary manslaughter, according to the Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office.
Gonzalez also faces summary charges including careless driving-unintentional death, right of way-pedestrians in a crosswalk and fraudulent use or removal of a license plate.
Jorge Gonzalez lived in the 700 block of North Lacrosse Street. That’s about a half-mile from where Elian Makdsi was fatally hit.Lehigh County District Attorney's Office
He was arraigned Friday and released on $100,000 unsecured bail.
Authorities allege Gonzalez hit Elian Makdsi, 85, who was in the intersection at Union Boulevard and Jerome Street on the morning of Oct. 19, 2023.
Police found Makdsi on the ground. He was pronounced dead by the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office.
Police find damaged car
An investigation revealed Makdsi was hit by a silver 2004 Mercedes Benz registered to an owner in Northumberland County but driven by Gonzalez, District Attorney Gavin Holihan said Friday in a news release.
Gonzalez lived in the 700 block of North Lacrosse Street, according to the release. That’s about a half-mile from where Makdsi was fatally hit.
Police saw a damaged Mercedes Benz in Gonzalez’s driveway and camera footage showed Gonzalez driving the car when it struck and killed Makdsi, the district attorney’s office said in the release.
Authorities on Friday did not say when officers saw the damaged car or why charges were not filed earlier against Gonzalez.
The Lehigh County District Attorney’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for more details.
