Teen Critical in Hit-And-Run Crash on Central Avenue [Carthage, Mo]

Miguel Gaspar-Diaz Arrested After Hit-And-Run Crash on Central Avenue in Carthage

Carthage, Mo (December 5, 2024) – Authorities arrested and charged a suspect in connection with a Saturday evening hit-and-run crash on Central Avenue that left a Carthage teen critically injured.

Detectives identified the vehicle involved as a red Chevrolet Equinox using parts recovered at the crash scene. Investigators noted that the vehicle displayed front-end damage.

According to the Probable Cause Affidavit, security footage from the area showed the vehicle fleeing north to the intersection of Central Avenue and Baker Boulevard before heading west outside Carthage city limits about four minutes after the crash. 

Further investigation identified the vehicle as a 2013 Chevrolet Equinox, with matching parts found in a ditch near where the juvenile victim was discovered.

The Carthage Police Department, with help from the Joplin Police Department, located the suspect vehicle at a residence. 

The red 2013 Chevrolet Equinox, bearing Missouri license plate TD8U8N, showed significant front-end damage.

At the residence, officers spoke with Miguel Gaspar-Diaz, who initially claimed he hit a deer on November 25, 2024, and denied being in Carthage. 

Detectives reconstructed the vehicle damage using parts recovered from the scene, confirming it was the same vehicle involved in the crash.

During an interview, Gaspar-Diaz admitted to drinking alcohol at a friend’s house in Carthage before the accident. 

He confessed to hitting the teen, driving a short distance, and stopping to remove the victim from the hood of his car. 

Gaspar-Diaz admitted to placing the victim in a ditch and fleeing the scene without contacting law enforcement or providing assistance.

Further investigation revealed Gaspar-Diaz never had a valid Missouri driver’s license and currently has three suspensions on his driving privileges.

Gaspar-Diaz faces multiple charges, including:

• Felony Assault
• Felony Leaving the Scene of a Crash
• Felony Tampering with Evidence
• Failure to Drive on the Right Side of the Road

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