Witness follows drunk driver who hit pedestrian, police say

Police say they were able to track down and arrest a drunk driver Saturday after a concerned citizen witnessed him strike a pedestrian with his car and then followed the suspect onto the Atlantic City Expressway.

According to Atlantic City Police, officers were called to Harrah's Boulevard on Saturday at 8:56 p.m. for a report of a hit-and-run accident involving a pedestrian who had been crossing the street.

After witnessing the incident, police say a concerned citizen followed the driver, who was later identified as Richard Fox, 51, of National Park, Gloucester County. The witness called 911 and followed the driver onto the Atlantic City Expressway while updating the operator on the suspect's location. The witness lost track of Fox around mile marker 10, according to authorities.

State Police were then notified at which point Trooper Mark Brown located the vehicle near mile marker 17 and conducted a motor vehicle stop, police said Monday.

During the course of an investigation, police say Fox was found to be under the influence of alcohol. He was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, refusal to submit to a breathalyzer test, reckless driving, leaving the scene of crash with injuries and having an open alcoholic container in his vehicle.

The pedestrian, James Smith of Paoli, Pa., was transported to AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries, police said.

Toniann Antonelli is a social content producer for NJ 101.5. She can be reached at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.