PEORIA, Illinois — Peoria Police arrested 22-year-old Devontay L. Pruitt on April 4, 2025, at 4:27 p.m., after attempting to stop a vehicle linked to a recent hit-and-run involving a pedestrian (PPD Incident #25-5530). The vehicle fled at high speed, but officers did not pursue, prioritizing public safety. They later found the vehicle parked at a residence in the 3400 block of Richwoods Blvd., where they made contact with Pruitt and took him into custody.
Pruitt faces charges of fleeing police, operating an uninsured motor vehicle, driving with a suspended registration, theft, and an active warrant. He was booked into Peoria County Jail, with the investigation, logged as PPD Incident #25-6028, still ongoing. The decision not to chase aligns with department protocols, especially after past incidents like a 2022 Peoria chase that injured a bystander, a topic debated on X where some argue for stricter pursuit policies. The hit-and-run’s impact on the pedestrian remains unclear, but the lack of injury details suggests it may not have been severe, though this ambiguity leaves room for concern.
Richwoods Blvd., a residential area in Peoria—a city of about 110,000—has seen increased police activity, with crime stats showing a 6% rise in hit-and-run incidents from 2023 to 2024. Pruitt’s additional charges, like theft and an active warrant, hint at a broader criminal history, raising questions about recidivism and whether underlying issues, such as economic hardship (Peoria’s median income is $53,000, below the national $74,000 per U.S. Census 2023), contribute to such behavior. Tips on this or other violent crimes can be shared with Peoria Police at 309-673-4521, or anonymously via tip411 or Crime Stoppers at 309-673-9000.
