Seemingly unrelated calls for a hit-and-run accident and a suspicious vehicle on July 16 in Tamaqua turned out to be related after all.

Tamaqua Police received a call about a hit-and-run accident on Willing Street at 12:23 a.m. The damaged vehicle was a 2010 Jeep Compass and several parts from the striking vehicle were collected from the street.

Officers conducted a search in the area, but didn’t find a vehicle with comparable right side damage.

At 1:09 a.m., police were called about a suspicious vehicle in the parking lot at Burger King on Center Street. The caller said a male had been hanging out the window, then went back inside the car. That male was identified as Joshua Allen Oswald, 18, of Bernville.

Oswald, who was missing some clothing, appeared to be under the influence of a controlled substance and later admitted to smoking marijuana and using methamphetamine.

He told officer he knew nothing about a hit and run, although the right side of his vehicle was damaged, and didn’t remember how he got to the parking lot. The last thing he clearly remembered was being up on the mountain (pointing toward Willing Street).

He was taken into custody and his vehicle searched. Officers found a scale, three bags of suspected marijuana, two glass pipes, a grinder, two rolled-up dollar bills and a bag containing a white powder.

Oswald agreed to having a blood test and was transported to the hospital. Charges are awaiting blood test results.

His vehicle was impounded by Hope’s Towing of Tamaqua and he was later released into the custody of his mother.