Hitchhiker turns out to be slaying suspect

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ELMONT, N.Y., Sept. 22 (UPI) -- A New York truck driver said he was surprised to find out a hitchhiker he picked up was a suspect in a homicide.

Manuel Velasco, 37, of Elmont, was pulled over Thursday night after an E-ZPass toll lane he passed through malfunctioned at the toll plaza of the George Washington Bridge, the New York Daily News reported. He and his passenger, Charles Kelley, 52, were questioned by police after they told inconsistent stories on how they knew each other.

Police ran Kelley's identification and discovered he had been indicted for the May killing of Johnny Arwood, 47, in Tennessee.

Kelley was expected to be extradited to Tennessee as early as next week.

Velasco, who was ticketed for not paying the toll, said he picked Kelley up Sunday in Tennessee.

"He said the last four months were rough because he was laid off," Velasco said. "He said he wanted another life."

Velasco said Kelley was the first hitchhiker he picked up in his 15 years of truck driving, and that he probably won't do it again.

"Now I know you can't trust everyone," he said.