CLEVELAND — The U.S. Marshals are looking for a man they say was behind the wheel during the deadly crash of a car carrying 15 people, including 12 children, over Labor Day weekend.
Roderick Stewart, 29, is facing a homicide charge and 13 felonious charges. Police believe he intentionally crashed the vehicle into a pole on Denison Avenue near W 58th Street in Cleveland.
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7-year-old Da’Nyla Wray was killed, and the other passengers were injured, some seriously.
“The girl that died died in front of all the kids. They all watched that child die. That’s not fair, and that’s not right. And he just took off,” said Lillie Blankenship, the aunt of 3 children who were in the car at the time.
News 5 met Blankenship’s niece, Audrianna Howard, days after the crash when she returned home from the hospital after surgery for a serious leg injury. Blankenship said the 6-year-old is still missing school as she recovers from the traumatic injury. The family has started a GoFundMe to help pay for her medical bills.
Audrianna’s 12-year-old brother Rodrick Stewart and their cousin Antoine Tipton were also in the car during the crash. The boys' physical injuries were not as severe as Audrianna’s, but Blankenship said the crash took a dramatic toll on all of the children and their families.
12-year-old Rodrick is the son of the suspected driver, and his aunt said he has had an especially difficult time processing what happened.
“He’s very angry that his dad would intentionally hit a telephone pole and take off. Who does that to their kids?” Blankenship said.
She explained the family is still unsure why so many people were in the car at the time of the crash and said her nephews and niece were the only children in the vehicle when Stewart picked them up for a Labor Day weekend barbeque.
She and others are calling on Stewart to surrender and accept responsibility for the crash.
“You left all these kids hurt. You’re a coward. Why? Because you don’t want to go back to prison? Then maybe you shouldn’t have hit the pole,” she said.
The US Marshalls said Stewart is 5 feet 8 inches tall and 230 pounds. He is known to frequent the Cleveland area.
If you have any information in reference to Roderick Stewart, you’re asked to contact the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED. You can send a web tip at the following webpage.
Tipsters can remain anonymous, and reward money is available.
