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Man surrenders in fatal hit-run

A North Philadelphia man has been charged with homicide by vehicle for a fatal hit-and-run earlier this month that killed the son of a prominent city jazz drummer.

A North Philadelphia man has been charged with homicide by vehicle for a fatal hit-and-run earlier this month that killed the son of a prominent city jazz drummer.

Police said that Donta Johnson, 25, surrendered at 1:30 a.m. yesterday at Police Headquarters and claimed that he had been driving the minivan that struck Calvin Dominique Weston-Wilkerson about 2 a.m. May 7 at 9th Street and Roosevelt Boulevard.

Weston-Wilkerson, 18, was the son of city jazz drummer Calvin Weston, who has toured with such notables as Billy Martin of Medeski, Martin and Wood.

Weston's son was crossing 9th Street when a dark-colored mini- van traveling northbound on the Boulevard struck him and failed to stop, according to police.

Weston-Wilkerson was taken to Temple University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead within 20 minutes.

The following day, police were called to Cottman Avenue near Crispin Street in Northeast Philadelphia, where a woman told them her 1994 green Dodge Caravan was taken without her permission. The van was recovered that day about six blocks away on Leon Street near Shelmire Avenue, police said.

Police would not comment on Johnson's relationship to the owner of the vehicle, but he and the owner reside at the same address.

Johnson has been charged with homicide by vehicle, accidents involving death, driving without a license and related crimes. *