Racine fatal hit-and-run crash; man charged in death of Anthony Morales | FOX6 Milwaukee

Racine fatal hit-and-run crash; man charged in death of Anthony Morales

A 42-year-old Racine man is charged in connection with a hit-and-run crash that killed 69-year-old Anthony Morales on Dec. 22, 2022. The accused is Shawn Shelton – and he faces a charge of hit-and-run resulting in death.

According to the criminal complaint, police were dispatched late on Dec. 22 to the area near Erie and Hagerer in Racine. When officers arrived on the scene, they found a man, identified as 69-year-old Anthony Morales, on the ground and unresponsive. Morales was taken to Froedtert Hospital where he later died from his injuries.

Officers spoke with a person who said Morales had been "outside that night to warm up his vehicle." The person heard a loud boom, found Morales laying in the street, and called 911.

Anthony Morales

Officers noted several vehicle parts were scattered at the scene. That car parts were gray -- and "included a front grill with the Subaru emblem," the complaint says. Numbers on the parts suggested they were from a 2019 or 2020 Subaru Ascent.

The complaint says investigators retrieved surveillance video from a nearby business. The footage shows Morales walking across the street, a silver Subaru driving north on Erie Street "brakes, then swerves and strikes (Morales) at approximately 10:28 p.m. Nobody exits the silver Subaru to check on (Morales)," the complaint says. The Subaru eventually drives off.

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On Dec. 29, officers responded to a Caledonia auto body shop. The shop owner explained the defendant, Shelton, "dropped off a silver Subaru Ascent on December 23. The defendant told (the auto shop owner) that he hit a dumpster after work on December 22," the complaint says. Officers saw significant damage on the Subaru's passenger side. They also found evidence of blood, hair, and clothing fibers on the passenger's side headlight, the complaint says.

Investigators used cellphone records and Google location data to show Shelton had been at a bowling alley on Washington Avenue and a bar on Douglas Avenue in the hours before the crash. Around the time of the crash, the Google location records showed Shelton was on Erie Street. Additionally, Shelton's Google account searched the "local news" section of the Journal Times website and the Racine County section of FOX6Now.com late on Dec. 22.

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Shelton made his initial appearance in Racine County court on Friday, April 28. Cash bond was set at $50,000.

Crime and Public SafetyRacineNews