Negotiated Plea Deal For Man Guilty In Fatal Bensalem Hit-And-Run

LOWER BUCKS COUNTY, PA —A Lower Southampton man who admitted to killing a 14-year-old boy crossing Street Road in Bensalem in July 2023 has a negotiated plea agreement, authorities said.

James Shulski, 36, will spend 2 1/2 to 5 years in prison and six years probation, which will be served concurrent to his incarceration, said Manuel Gamiz, the spokesman for the Bucks County District Attorney's Office.

During a court appearance Monday, Shulski admitted guilt to all charges and prosecutors agreed to reduce the grading of the felony charge — accidents involving death or personal injury —from a Felony 2 to a Felony 3 as part of the negotiated plea, Gamiz told Patch Tuesday.

He said that sentencing was deferred for 60 days.

Shultski was arrested in late January following a six-month investigation.

Last July, Bensalem Police responded to a struck pedestrian on Street Road near the Route 1 overpass.

Upon arrival, they found a 14-year-old boy in the center travel lane of the roadway with severe injuries who was unresponsive.

Life-saving measures were performed, but the boy died from the injuries he sustained, police said.

Police found that the striking vehicle stopped briefly; the driver got out but returned to his car and fled.

Investigators found surveillance video showing a gray Honda Accord traveling westbound on Street Road just before the crash.

After striking the child, the vehicle fled the scene westbound into Lower Southampton Township, police said.

The vehicle was then tracked backward utilizing surveillance cameras.

Before the crash, the registration of the striking vehicle was captured by a license plate reader.
Investigators went to the registered address of the vehicle owner and found a gray Honda Accord parked at the residence. The Honda had damage consistent with striking a pedestrian.