While more investigation must be done, some things "didn't line up," a detective says.
A preliminary investigation into a car impounded early Thursday morning in Phillipsburg after a fatal hit-and-run crash in Palmer Township "is not turning out the way" township police expected, a detective said.
Eighteen-year-old Zakaiveh Halley, of Phillipsburg, died at the scene, Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek said.
Investigators attempted to recover DNA evidence from the steering wheel and the front bumper of the black Mazda 6 sedan after a search warrant was executed in a town police evidence garage, Detective Jim Alercia said.
But some things about the damage "didn't line up" with what was expected after the 9:12 p.m. crash on Wednesday on Route 248 near Palmer Park Mall, Detective Jim Alercia said.
No one was charged in the incident, although two men were removed in handcuffs from a home in the 200 block of Morris Street, Alercia said. One of the men said the front-end damage was caused by hitting a garbage can, a witness said. The men were questioned, but they were not arrested on township charges.
Township police are attempting to have the car brought to the township so a more thorough investigation can be performed, Alercia said.
Security removed Halley and a friend from the mall after the two had an argument, Alercia said. It was just before the 9 p.m. closing time and the women -- along with others, including people connected to the car that was later impounded -- gathered outside the mall, Alercia said.
If the police investigation rules out the Mazda, investigators still have another option to move the probe forward, Alercia said.
A piece of plastic from a vehicle's undercarriage was found at the scene in the northbound lane of Route 248 between Park Avenue and the mall entrance, Alercia said. The debris had a serial number and police will use that number to try and figure out from what kind of vehicle it came, Alercia said. Police have a description of a black, dirty, "rounded" car driving away from the scene.
There is no external video at the mall -- something new management has been working to correct, Alercia said.
A serial number on a piece of a car helped lead to charges in a 2015 hit-and-run death in which the defense lawyer claims the victim may have been lying in the road before being fatally struck in the darkness of the very early morning.
Collin Jeffrey Cashau, of the 1500 block of Broad Road in Bushkiil Township, is charged in the Dec. 5, 2015, death of 35-year-old Kyle Smith along Belfast Road. The case is scheduled to go to trial June 5, court records say.
Alercia said he was discussing that case on Thursday night with the coroner.
"That's how they solved that," Alercia said.
The Palmer investigation is continuing and more information will be released when it becomes available, Alercia said.
If anyone has information about the fatal crash, they are asked to call Alercia at 610-253-5844, Ext. 1208.
Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.