Charlotte Teen Charged in Girl’s Fatal Hit-and-Run

Seventeen-year-old Lachevis Finnie was charged with felony hit-and-run resulting in death after police identified him as the driver of a gray Mercedes-Benz C250 that struck 6-year-old Mariana Espinoza in east Charlotte. Espinoza had just gotten off a school bus and was crossing near Barrington Drive and Lanecrest Drive on Oct. 23; she died in the hospital the next day. Court documents say Finnie had no valid driver’s license and left without calling for help; he is accused of admitting he struck the child and told investigators he fled because he was scared. A judge set Finnie’s bond at $2.5 million and ordered a mental health evaluation, and his next court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 17.