Man Awaiting Trial For Croydon Hit-&-Run Death Facing Drug Charges

A Bensalem Township man awaiting trial on charges he hit and killed a man with his vehicle in Bristol Township’s Croydon section on Christmas Eve 2021 is now facing drugs charges following a separate investigation.

Kevin Michael Baker Jr., 21, was out on bail awaiting trial on charges of accidents involving death or personal injury, tampering with physical evidence, and failure to stop and give information or render aid at the time of his latest arrest last Thursday.

In court papers filed last week, Bensalem Township police said Baker was selling drugs, which came to light after a series of controlled purchases by investigators.

Police said they searched a home on Sandy Lane and the Hamilton Court Apartments on Street Road, both in Bensalem Township, and found cash, large amounts of marijuana, drug paraphernalia, dab oils, high-end watches, a money counter, drug paraphernalia, edible gummies, and THC cartridges. Both addresses were allegedly tied to Baker.

“In total, the Bensalem Township Police Special Investigations Unit seized 15 pounds of marijuana, over 200 THC vape cartridges, numerous edibles, and over $120,000 in U.S. currency,” a police statement said.

In the new case, Baker was charged with three drug-related offenses and criminal use of a communication facility. He was preliminarily arraigned before District Judge Joseph Falcone and bail was set at 10 percent of $7 million.

Prosecutors filed a motion last Friday to revoke Baker’s bail in the hit-and-run case, which was set at 10 percent of $150,000.

Baker’s hit-and-run case was set to go to trial on Monday, but Bucks County Court of Common Pleas President Judge Wallace Bateman granted a continuance on Monday morning, according to court papers reviewed by LevittownNow.com.

John Dugan, 65, of Croydon, died after he fell and was struck by a pickup truck on Christmas Eve 2021 just past 5 p.m. along State Road in the area of Fourth Avenue in Bristol Township’s Croydon section.

Following a grand jury investigation and recommendation of charges, Baker surrendered to police.

Dugan’s fiancee claimed that he had “two left feet” and several medical conditions that made it difficult for him to walk. She tried to get him up as soon as he fell in the roadway, but, according to the grand jury presentation, a pickup truck “passed me extremely fast and hit John.”

Dugan, a grandfather and U.S. Army veteran, was rushed by ambulance and pronounced dead at Jefferson Torresdale Hospital in Philadelphia.

Tips led Bristol Township police to Baker, who came to the police station with his dad. His pickup truck was surrendered.

“Officer Margerum performed an inspection on Kevin Baker Jr.’s red Chevy Silverado. During the inspection, Officer Margerum observed damage to the truck that was consistent with the crash that caused John Dugan’s death. Officer Margerum noted that the vehicle was otherwise ‘super clean.’ Officer Margerum brought the bottom shroud of the bumper from Baker Jr.’s truck to Grand Jury and presented the damage to that vehicle part that related to this crash, including a rip repair in the area of the driver’s side fog light,” the grand jury wrote.

Baker most likely would not have been held criminally accountable for Dugan’s death if he had not fled the scene, according to Bristol Township police Officer Kenneth Margerum, a crash reconstruction officer and lead investigator.

The grand jury wrote the inquiry determined that speeding was not a contributing issue and that Baker would probably have had difficulty seeing Dugan once he fell.

The night of the collision, Baker and his girlfriend had just left a family gathering in Croydon and were traveling towards Bensalem Township.

Editor’s Note: All individuals arrested or charged with a crime are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The story was compiled using information from police and public court documents.

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