Hit and run suspect from New Years Eve fatal crash makes court appearance

19-year-old Jatziel Encarnacion, who prosecutors charged in a hit-and-run in Fond du Lac County, returned to court Friday, where his case was bound over for trial.

The judge in the case found probable cause for a felony during the preliminary hearing,

Encarnacion faces a single count of hit-and-run causing great bodily harm after he allegedly hit two people that were ejected onto the roadway from a separate crash just seconds before.

The crash occurred New Years Eve morning in southeast Fond du Lac County on Highway 45 after both cars involved allegedly left a drinking party in Fond du Lac County.

Prosecutors said he and at least a dozen others were drinking at the party before the crash occurred.

One of the two victim that were struck was 19-year-old Taya Grimes who was driving a car in front of Encarnacion and lost control, entered the ditch and overturned, ejecting several people from the vehicle. Grimes and a 17-year-old passenger ended up in the roadway and police say were struck by Encarnacion who was following Grimes’s car.