Well, the link goes to the old story. Here's the updated one:

Suspected driver identified in fatal hit & run

Nelzon Soto Sr. and wife Elvia Hercules

Click image to view slide show.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- A search warrant identified Curtis Scott Harper, of Franklin, as the man authorities believe was behind the wheel of of the SUV that struck and killed Nelson Soto, Jr., Chasity Thornell, and her unborn child.

Police reported they found pieces of Harper's 2004 Ford Explorer at the scene of the crash on Washington Pike early Wednesday morning. Traces of blood, skin and hair were also found on the car during the search.

Additionally the warrant claimed witnesses told police Harper admitted "He hit someone on the side of the road." He could face charges for vehicular homicide, DUI, and evidence tampering. No charges have been filed.

Harper has a rap sheet. KPD arrested him last year after an officer smelled pot in the car he was riding in.

PREVIOUS STORY:

The investigation continues into the fatal hit and run that killed a good Samaritan, a young mother, and her unborn child, according to Knoxville Police Dept. spokesperson Darrell DeBusk.

Authorities are still processing evidence and conducting interviews as the District Attorney General prepares his case, explained DeBusk. He added they will need to wait for the Grand Jury to convene.

Police believe they already know who was behind the wheel of the 2004 Ford Explorer that struck and killed Nelson Soto, Jr., and Chasity Thornell last week. Authorities said that person, who they have not identified, has already retained a lawyer.

Soto had just finished helping Thornell and another woman who had run out of gas in front of his home early in the morning last Wednesday when they were hit. Thornell was seven months pregnant.

So who is this Harper dude and why does he keep skating? I have an idea, but will wait for more details.

Looks like KNS posted the story at 8:04 tonight. In less than an hour and a half, it has nearly 170 comments.

The vehicle was recovered at a residence on Gratz Street (4th & Gill neighborhood) and the kid had told others he had "had a few drinks."

Soto's widow has retained Greg Issacs for a potential civil suit.

Look again.

Most of the comments are from the previous story.

Their commenters started crediting WVLT with the I.D. story before the KNS updated the story with the ID. Channel 8 beat everybody else to the punch on this one.

I'm told, by a source who has been accurate to this point, that this creep was seen "cleaning" his car shortly after the "accident," hence the evidence tampering charge. Think about that one...

Look again.

Most of the comments are from the previous story.

Ah, you're right. The KNS story was only updated, to include Harper's name, at 8:04 tonight.

And yes, KNS updated it only after their commenters began discussing the WVLT story at the KNS site!

("Cleaning" his car after this was creepy, indeed.)

I see in comments at the KNS site that a poster has shared the location of two memorial funds established for the victims, as follows:

Nelson Soto Memorial Fund at Suntrust Bank

Chastity Thornell Memorial Fund at TVA Employees Credit Union

(Secondhand info from an anonymous poster, this, so you'll want to make a phone call to either institution, I suppose.)

Wow.
Channel 10 and Channel 6 pretended that the suspect's name hasn't been disclosed.

I cannot recall this kind of news decision, ever. The only excuse would be if they didn't have a copy of the warrant. But that's really not an excuse, since a competitor got it.

Something weird going on with the coverage of this.

Is he still not in custody? Are they hoping he'll kill himself and save us all the cost of prosecution and incarceration?

KNS has posted the search warrant affidavit. Horrible, horrible stuff. Kudos to Channel 8 for knocking this thing loose.
The date of the affidavit was May 31. Looks like a helluva lot of physical and circumstantial evidence to back up the case, although I guess his confession to a third party is hearsay. But aren't admissions against interest excepted from the rule?

I feel sorry for his family. I hope they don't spend everything they have trying to get this punk out of trouble.

And I am heartbroken for the Soto family. I drive by their house 3-4 times a week (not that I knew them), and it is neat as pin, surrounded by a white picket fence with a big American flag flying out front. That was one proud, hard-working good neighbor of a citizen.

Chief Rausch said on the 6 p.m. news that this was going to the grand jury next week, and that an arrest would come when the grand jury indicts.

So sorry for the victim's families.

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And I am NOT implying a coverup. I am merely curious about potential additional context to the story. That's what happens in a vacuum. The driver's family's politics/public service may add context; or it may be no more significant than the color of Jeff Ownby's cruisemobile or if Dave Hart writes emails on an iPad or a Kindle Fire.

His grandfather sounds like a fine man. Probably a merciful thing he didn't live to see what a sorry piece of crap his grandson turned out to be.

Ok, look. Any time the DA can get an indictment before arrest, they go for it. It can work two ways:

1. You swear out an affidavit to a judicial commissioner, who issues an arrest warrant. Arrest the suspect. Suspect in this case will post bond immediately. He then has 30 days to prepare for a preliminary hearing, at which the State has to reveal much of their proof, and subject their witnesses to defense cross examination and sworn statements that can be valuable to a defense investigation of the case. After the hearing, the case goes to a grand jury, which returns an indictment, sending the case to Criminal Court for trial.

Or...

2. The DA skips the arrest process, presents their proof to a grand jury, a secret proceeding at which suspects have no right to be present, and the grand jury returns a presentment. Then an arrest warrant issues, you go to Criminal Court, and your lawyer has less time to do a whole lot more work.

Pre-grand jury arrest warrants are more expedient when the suspect is a flight risk or a violent* or repeat offender. If none of those things apply, a grand jury presentment is a tactical advantage for the State.

I know people do love the whiff of conspiracy, and maybe there is one afoot. But it sounds to me like they are about to lower the boom on this kid, hard and heavy.

Btw admissions to third parties are not hearsay. People get convicted because of them all the time.

*I realize this was a violent incident, but there was probably not much in the way of volition. In other words, the suspect probably isn't going to go around trying to run over more people before the grand jury can act.

The way I see it if they are skipping the arrest process in order to give the state an advantage, then when this piece of crap is found guilty, they are going to ask for an appeal on the grounds that his defense did not get to see the evidence in a timely manner, etc. etc. So why not do it just like they do every other case (as I have never heard them do it this way) and then he is not immediately going to have a grounds for appeal.

Also, I agree with others, if he said it was time to take a trip and his family has money, then he is a flight risk and then we are going to have to foot the bill for someone to go hunt this piece of crap down and bring him back (if they ever find him). Right now there is absolutely nothing they can do if he decides to "take a trip". He has not been arrested and is not on bond therefore, they can't stop him if he hops a plane to Russia today. Wow I just can't believe the DA's office are just sitting there waiting for this to happen.

Herb Harper, Jr., in whose name (along with his wife) the apparent/alleged/whatever murder weapon is registered, is a regional VP with Journal Bradcasting- the same folks with multiple knoxville radio stations and other interesting Knoxville assets.

Suspect charged

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If he's convicted, perhaps Knox Co. courts will be a little tougher than Blount Co. courts regarding a similar situation:

Knight sentenced for crash that killed 21 year-old mother and son

The man involved in a fatal crash on Alcoa Hwy. in which a 21 year-old mother and her 10 month-old son died, learned his fate Monday after pleading guilty to Vehicular Homicide in November. Jeffrey Knight will serve two ten year sentences concurrently. He is eligible for parole after three years.

He pleaded out, and did not leave the scene because he was unable to. Maybe that makes it all better.