Hit & Run Driver Who Killed Joe Jonas & Sophie Turner's Beloved Dog Will NOT Be Charged

Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner are still mourning the sudden, tragic loss of their dog — the Alaskan Klee Kai Waldo — after he was hit by a car earlier last week in New York City while out and about with a dog walker.

And as we continue to learn more about the incident, it is becoming clear that despite filing a police report, Joe & Sophie won’t get any justice — at least, not when it comes to criminal courts — in the dog’s tragic death.

According to law enforcement sources in NYC who spoke about the incident to TMZ on Sunday, the driver who hit and killed Waldo apparently left the scene without ever stopping or leaving any information — which is a TERRIBLE thing to do. But, here’s the kicker: it’s not a crime to do so, because the driver apparently did not intentionally hit the dog. The incident is currently being viewed as an accident and the dog itself is merely considered property.

As you’ll recall, the dog was apparently spooked by a pedestrian on a street corner, and it broke free of its leash and ran out into the street abruptly. The driver did not intentionally appear to hit the dog on purpose, and so it’s simply a horrible accident gone wrong. Joe and Sophie may be able to sue for damages or something in civil court, if they choose, but there’s nothing criminally wrong or negligent at this point with the driver’s actions, according to sources.

Even the fact that the driver never stopped is not a criminal act in and of itself; while brutal, law enforcement sources point out that drivers in NYC often hit animals and don’t realize they’ve done so because the “hustle and bustle of a big city oftentimes allows for such situations.” Seems like an, um, interesting excuse for it, but nevertheless, here we are.

Joe and Sophie did file a report several days after the dog’s death, though sources say even that was not a criminal report — it was simply an accident report, first filed with the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. That leaves the door open for the pair to potentially pursue a civil claim against the driver — who has yet to even be identified, BTW — but beyond emotional distress it’s unclear what else the famous couple could justify in this setting.

Regardless, the entire thing is just unbelievably tragic all around. We still can’t believe poor Waldo was hit and killed, and Sophie and Joe must now deal with the tragic aftermath. Ugh… Sad, sad stuff.

[Image via WENN]