Oh brother, where art thou?

Monroe Police report it took some work to get to the bottom of a hit-and-run collision that knocked down a street sign in the 19000 block of State Route 2.

Officers responded to the area around 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 23, where a white Ford Escort struck the sign and drove away, according to Debbie Willis.

After a witness provided officers with the license plate, they responded to the address of the registered owner.

Willis reports the man they spoke to said the vehicle belonged to his brother, and added the Escort had been stolen the night before but he just remembered. The alleged brother was called, Willis said, and he said he’d registered the vehicle to his friend (not brother) who was the same man they’d initially spoken with.

The 19-year-old Monroe man contacted the investigating officer on Thursday and provided a new statement, Willis reports, which was that he was attempting to merge on S.R. 2 when he struck a curb and then the sign. The man then allegedly parked the car behind a store and ran.

He was cited for hit-and-run of unattended property and driving while license suspended-third degree. Will reports the man was also told to contact the city about paying for the damage to the sign.