Owners of Kennewick Hit-And-Run Vehicle Arrested, In Part by ‘Bluetooth’

Thanks to some digital technology, and 'ignorance' of car owner, two people are now in the Benton County jail after slamming through the fence near the Kennewick Harley Davidson Dealership.

A 2013 For Explorer was found abandoned early Sunday morning near 19th and Highway 395 in Kennewick, having caused extensive damage. The vehicle had slammed through the security fence at the Harley Davidson dealership around 2:40am.

However, despite the occupants of the vehicle having fled, Kennewick police were able to trace the vehicle due to Bluetooth safety technology. When the vehicle hit the fence, it deployed the airbags and automatically called the 911 emergency dispatcher!  Officials were able to hear two people talking in Spanish before they fled the vehicle.

They were then able to track, using the phone technology and car info, the owners, and authorities announced Monday that Gegorio Benitez was arrested for hit-and-run and providing false information to an officer, and Vanessa Romero was arrested for providing false information.

The SUV hit the fence so hard the wrought-iron gate was thrown across the parking lot, and numerous fence posts were torn out of the ground.