A Connecticut man has been arrested in connection with a tragic Christmas Day hit-and-run that claimed the life of a 14-year-old boy and left three others seriously injured, according to state law enforcement officials.

Tyron Davis, 26, faces several charges including three counts of first-degree assault, as well as one count each of second-degree manslaughter, evading responsibility resulting in a death, reckless driving, and failure to maintain lane, as stated by the Hartford Police Department. The incident occurred on December 25, 2025, near the crossroads of Cornwall Street and Hebron Street in Hartford, leading to the death of young Malachi James, authorities reported.

At approximately 9:18 p.m. on the night of the incident, James and his family were traveling south on Cornwall Street in a Toyota Camry when their vehicle was struck head-on by a Tesla Cybertruck, which had veered into their lane. This information comes from an arrest warrant affidavit cited by the Hartford Courant. Firefighters had to extricate the family from the wreckage before they were transported to a nearby hospital, where the teenager was tragically pronounced dead upon arrival.

“Officers arrived swiftly at the scene, discovering a devastating crash,” a police spokesperson remarked during a press briefing held shortly after the accident. “The debris was scattered across the area, with both vehicles completely wrecked.”

In the meantime, authorities reported that the Tesla’s driver fled the scene on foot.

Investigators noticed a temporary Georgia license plate on the vehicle and quickly ascertained that the truck belonged to an individual who runs a private rental car business, according to the affidavit.

The truck’s owner then provided the name of the person the vehicle had been rented to. As it turned out, that man remained at the crime scene and, when questioned by law enforcement, allegedly said his acquaintance, Davis, helped facilitate the rental of the Cybertruck.

The man went on to explain that Davis had already rented a BMW from the individual who owns the rental car business. The business owner, at the time, only had a Cybertruck available, so the man was initially hesitant because he had never driven a Tesla but ultimately agreed because he needed a vehicle, according to the affidavit.

After that, Davis and the other man traveled together in the rented BMW to a grocery store parking lot in Simsbury to pick up the Tesla. Once there, however, the drivers allegedly switched things up due to the other man’s still-professed unfamiliarity with operating a Tesla. The man drove the BMW while Davis got behind the wheel of the Tesla, police said. The pair had plans to stop for pizza in Hartford and eventually change vehicles after the other man was able to do some research on how to drive a Cybertruck, according to law enforcement.

The man would go on to tell police he was driving right behind Davis when the crash occurred and that he witnessed the incident, according to the affidavit. He said he first went to check on Davis, saw that he had only minor injuries, then went to check on the people in the Toyota. There, he found others helping the family, so he went back to the Cybertruck and found that Davis was gone, police said.

Investigators were provided the defendant’s phone number — but attempts to reach out were swiftly ended when an iPhone on the floor of the Tesla started ringing, police said.

Investigators then took DNA samples from inside the Cybertruck and seized the cellphone along with the vehicle’s flash drive, according to the affidavit. After obtaining a warrant to view the contents of the flash drive, police said the parking lot pickup had been recorded as well as parts of the crash. In the crash-related footage, Davis is alleged to have passed another car by veering into the southbound lane – with the Camry’s headlights “clearly seen” in the distance, police said.

Yet, instead of slowing down or getting back into the correct northbound lane, the defendant allegedly barreled ahead until the two vehicles collided, according to the affidavit.

An officer familiar with Davis identified him and investigators additionally used facial recognition software to turn up what they referred to as a “99.9%” match with his photo from a prior arrest, police said.

On Tuesday, a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Davis eventually turned himself in and is currently being detained in the Hartford Correctional Center on $1.25 million bond.

In a GoFundMe started by his aunt, Malachi was remembered as “a vibrant and sweet young man who had just celebrated Christmas with his family, full of dreams, laughter, and a bright future ahead of him. He was cherished by all who knew him. A loving son, brother, grandson, nephew, godbrother, cousin and friend with an infectious spirit and a wonderful sense of humor. He had a smile that lit up the room.”

A separate GoFundMe is also raising money for the family.

“I just can’t believe that he had to die this way,” the boy’s mother said at a vigil days after the crash. “It’s just not right.”