The Bloomington community mourns the loss of Nerissa Bragg-Leaf, a 48-year-old woman who tragically lost her life in a hit-and-run incident on the morning of Tuesday, February 20, 2024. Bragg-Leaf, known to be without a permanent residence, was struck while walking south in the northbound lane of South State Road 37 near Dillman Road in Bloomington.
According to Detective Lieutenant Jennifer Allen of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department, multiple calls were made to Monroe County Central Dispatch reporting the incident around 6:40 a.m. Although callers did not witness the collision, they alerted authorities to the presence of a person walking in the roadway wearing dark clothing. By the time deputies and emergency medical technicians arrived at the scene, Bragg-Leaf had tragically succumbed to her injuries.
The investigation into the hit-and-run led authorities to apprehend 38-year-old Bloomington resident Dustin Eason. Eason was taken into custody and subsequently charged with fleeing the scene of an accident resulting in death, a Level 4 felony. Following a blood draw at IU Health Bloomington Hospital, Eason was placed in Monroe County Jail. He was later released on bail, with a plea of not guilty entered on his behalf.
A jury trial for Eason is scheduled for August 26, 2024, with a pretrial conference set to take place in Monroe Circuit Court 3 on March 26, 2024. Meanwhile, the Bloomington Police Department continues its investigation into another hit-and-run incident involving a transitory woman discovered deceased in a roadside ditch on January 28, 2024.
Capt. Ryan Pedigo of the Bloomington Police Department revealed that the woman, identified as a 37-year-old transient, had sustained injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle. Surveillance footage obtained from a nearby parking lot captured the tragic event, showing a dark-colored SUV striking the woman before driving away.
Witnesses reported seeing a similar SUV involved in a collision later that evening, likely damaging its front end. Authorities are urging anyone with information regarding these incidents or the whereabouts of the driver involved in the hit-and-run to come forward. The community mourns the loss of Nerissa Bragg-Leaf and stands in solidarity with her loved ones during this difficult time.
