A suspect has been arrested and charged in connection with a hit-and-run crash that seriously injured a pedestrian in South Bend.

Police say the crash happened around 1:15 p.m. on Wednesday, March 4, near the intersection of Portage and Leland Avenues.

Officers with the South Bend Police Department responded to reports of a man who had been struck by a vehicle while working along the roadside as an employee of Niezgodski Plumbing. The victim suffered serious injuries and remains hospitalized.

The St. Joseph County Fatal Crash Team (FACT) took over the investigation and determined the victim had been struck by a white SUV. Video from the area reportedly showed the vehicle did not stop or slow down after the crash.

Investigators later worked with the department’s Real-Time Crime Center to obtain additional video evidence. Analysts identified the driver in the footage wearing a distinctive jacket.

Authorities say investigators eventually located 21-year-old Michael Pyburn Jr., who was wearing the same jacket seen in the video. Officers also located a vehicle with front-end damage consistent with the crash.

Investigators say a review of Pyburn’s driving history showed he had never been issued a driver’s license.

While Pyburn was being booked into the St. Joseph County Jail, authorities say Alprazolam (Xanax) tablets were discovered in his sock.

On Friday, March 6, the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office formally charged Pyburn with leaving the scene of an accident causing moderate or serious bodily injury, operating a motor vehicle without ever receiving a license, and possession of a controlled substance.

Pyburn remains in custody at the St. Joseph County Jail.