A Hartland man reportedly confessed to his involvement in Wednesday night’s fatal hit-and-run crash before being arrested, according to Albert Lea police.

Leslie David Jones, 51, was arrested Thursday morning for criminal vehicular homicide in connection with the crash.

The Albert Lea Police Department received information Thursday morning that a vehicle and an adult male matching the description of a suspect in the crash were at Motor Inn in Albert Lea, according to the department’s Facebook page. Officers arrived and located both. The vehicle was towed as evidence, and Jones was brought to the Freeborn County jail for questioning.

The victim was identified as Joanne Carol Klein, 66, of Albert Lea.

Klein was reportedly heading south across East Main Street, in front of McDonald’s, when she was struck by a vehicle heading west, according to Albert Lea Police Department Lt. Darren Hanson.

Jones allegedly said he knew he struck Klein before fleeing the scene, said Deputy Director of Police J.D. Carlson.

Carlson described Jones as “distraught” when he was arrested.

The arrest Thursday came after police issued a plea to the public for any information tied to the incident. They said the suspect’s vehicle was a blue Ford pickup that likely had damage to the front driver’s side, specifically to the orange marker light.

He is slated to appear at 11 a.m. today in court.