The Topeka community is mourning the loss of 14-year-old Joshua Solis, a freshman at Shawnee Heights High School.
According to Topeka Police, the incident happened shortly after 10:30 p.m. Wednesday in the 2200 block of Southeast 37th Street near Lake Shawnee. Police said Joshua was in the roadway when he was struck by a vehicle, which left the area afterward.
Police later confirmed the teenager had died at the scene. Family members identified him as Joshua Solis. A fundraiser has also been established to assist his immediate family with funeral expenses.
Investigators released information about a vehicle of interest, described as a white Jeep Compass, after surveillance footage showed the vehicle in the area around the time of the incident.
On Friday, September 25, police announced the arrest of 27-year-old Noah Metz of Topeka. He was booked on charges including failure to stop at an accident resulting in death and felony interference with law enforcement. The case remains under investigation, and the charges are allegations.
Joshua's death has left family, classmates and members of the Shawnee Heights community remembering a young student whose life ended at 14.
