Pedestrian Critically Injured in St. Cloud Hit-and-Run

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- A St. Cloud man is charged with a hit-and-run crash that critically injured a pedestrian. It happened at around 3:00 a.m. Thursday in the 800 block of 9th Avenue South in St. Cloud.

According to the criminal complaint, officers were dispatched to the scene where they found a man lying on the sidewalk, not moving and unresponsive. The officer noted a large pool of blood next to the man's head. The victim was taken by ambulance to St. Cloud Hospital in critical condition.

A passenger-side mirror from a RAM pickup was found at the scene.

Surveillance video showed a black pickup matching the description driving in that area around the time of the incident.

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The investigation eventually led authorities to an area near Promise Park at the intersection of 10th Street Southeast and 10th Avenue Southeast. Officers found a black pickup with a missing mirror matching the vehicle description.

Later in the day Thursday, officers saw two men approach the truck and made contact with them. Court records allege one of the men, 63-year-old John Delante Smith, admitted to driving the pickup the night before and thought he may have hit something near Lake George but didn't stop to check.

When police went to arrest Smith, he allegedly tried to flee but was quickly apprehended. Police say a search of Smith's pockets turned up just under a gram of cocaine.

Smith is charged with one count of criminal vehicular operation causing great bodily harm. He is due back in court on August 2nd.

According to the criminal complaint, hospital staff said the victim's skull was shattered and his injuries are life-threatening.

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