Collingdale man facing homicide charges after fatal hit-and-run in Clifton Heights in October

With the results of blood testing now in the hands of police, a Collingdale man faces homicide by vehicle charges after a hit-and-run incident in October in Clifton Heights Borough, police said.

According to police, on Oct. 24, 2025 at 5:19 p.m., Clifton Heights Borough Police were called to the intersection of East Berkley Avenue and South Penn Street in the borough for reports of a hit-and-run of a pedestrian. The vehicle was reportedly a grey Honda sedan last seen traveling toward South Springfield Road, police said.

Upon arrival, police located an unresponsive woman, later identified as Joan Boyce, 73, lying in the road in the unit block of East Berkley Avenue. Police said Boyce was unconscious, bleeding from the head, nose, and mouth. She was reportedly having difficulty breathing. Boyce was transported by ambulance to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in critical conditions. She later succumbed to her injuries in the hospital on Oct. 26, 2025.

The Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office identified the multiple blunt impact injuries as the cause of death, and the manner of death was listed as “accidental,” police said. Police proceeded at the scene to interview at least four different witnesses to the incident. Additionally, the Delaware County Criminal Investigation Division (CID) and the Delaware County Crash Team were notified and assigned to complete a crash reconstruction report.

According to police, multiple witnesses said that Boyce was struck by a grey car, being “airborne before being thrown onto the roadway.” One witness yelled for the driver of the sedan to stop, police reported, but the vehicle fled the scene west on East Berkley Avenue toward South Springfield Road. Yet another witness, police said, “observed the vehicle operator disregard the clearly-posted stop sign, strike the victim, and briefly stop before fleeing.”

A witness also told police that the driver was a black man and that an “odor of marijuana” was coming from an open front driver’s side window, police said.

On Oct. 24, later the same evening, Collingdale Police Department was called out around 5:40 p.m., just over 20 minutes after the accident, for the report of a man complaining he was “shot at” in the borough around 10 minutes prior. Police reported to the 500 block of Macdade Boulevard in the Collingdale Borough to speak with the driver. Omar Leighton Williams, 43, of the 500 block of Macdade Boulevard in Collingdale, was the caller, police said.

Police said that Williams reported that “he thought someone was shooting at him  while driving through Clifton Heights” and that damage had been caused to his vehicle. Williams directed police to his vehicle, parked at Jackson Avenue and Macdade Boulevard, police said. The vehicle was identified as a grey, 2022 Honda Accord, with Pennsylvania tags. Significant damage was sustained to its front windshield and “remnants of suspected human hair” was embedded into the shattered glass, police said.

Collingdale police provided images of the grey sedan to Clifton Heights police who confirmed with witnesses that it was indeed the car they’d seen strike Boyce. Williams was placed under arrest and transported to the CHPD, said police.

Police reported that Williams had “glassy, bloodshot eyes” and that a “strong odor of burnt marijuana” was emanating from his person. Standardized Field Sobriety Testing was conducted with Williams, and police said he “had difficulty performing  a portion of the tests.” He was read his rights and consented to being transported to Mercy Fitzgerald Hospital for a blood draw, police said.

Detectives said they obtained video footage of the striking vehicle before, during, and after the collision. Police said the video depicts William’s vehicle traveling west on the 100 block of East Berkley Avenue just moments before striking the victim. According to police, Boyce was struck in a crosswalk, and that the driver failed to render aid or notify police immediately following the crash.

Police said that Williams’ vehicle is then seen on video turning north on South Springfield Road and then immediately turning east onto East Broadway Avenue.

“Williams’ vehicle was last seen on video traveling eastbound on East Baltimore Avenue from Jackson Avenue toward Lansdowne Borough while straddling the double yellow highway lane markings,” police said.

Police said that Williams waived his rights and provided a statement to Clifton Heights police on Oct. 24, 2025. He said in his statement that he was operating the vehicle at the time of the crash,” police said.

On Nov. 18, 2025, a report was given to police analyzing the blood sample of Williams’ following the crash. The results showed Williams had 20 nanograms of Delta-9-THC/mL blood, as well as 100 nanograms 9-Carboxy-THC/mL blood at the time.

“At and around the time the blood was drawn, it is reasonably scientifically certain that this individual was a recent, active user of the Schedule I hallucinogenic/depressant agent marijuana,” said the police report. “The blood THC and marijuana metabolite levels found reflect marijuana intake in dosage amounts capable of producing its impairing pharmacological effects and support an arresting officer’s observations concerning the exhibition of adverse psychoactive actions capable of rendering this individual unfit to safely operate a motor vehicle on the highway.”

Police reports state that Boyce died as a result of injuries sustained in this crash, and that Williams was driving under the influence, driving at an unsafe speed, and failed to stop at the stop sign, causing the crash.

Williams is charged with felony counts of homicide by vehicle while DUI, homicide by vehicle, and accidents involving death, as well as misdemeanor counts of DUI while on a Schedule I narcotic, second offense, and DUI impaired ability, in addition to related summary offenses  of failing to stop/give information or render aid, as well as failing to stop at a stop sign.

Williams was jailed on Dec. 3 in county jail, though released on bond Dec. 4 as a professional bondsman posted the $100,000 surety bond. Williams is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Jan. 20 at 8:30 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Kelly A. Micozzie-Aguirre.

All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.