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Driver In 2010 Philadelphia Hit And Run Death Arrested

Hit-and-run is a serious crime in Pennsylvania. In additional to causing a lot of grief to family members, a hit-and-run also makes it very difficult to bring a personal injury lawsuit against the negligent driver to compensate the victim or their family.

One North Philadelphia family knows the grief that a hit-and-run can cause after their 28-year-old daughter, sister and cousin was killed in a hit-and-run accident in Junuata Park last May. The victim’s relatives said that they have spent the past year wondering if the driver would ever be held responsible.

However, today it was reported that police have charged a 38-year-old woman with vehicular homicide and drunk driving in the case.

“We are relieved that finally somebody is going to pay for what happened,” the victim’s cousin said. “But at the same time, it’s just another reminder that [she] is not with us.”

Police told reporters that they believe the victim was hit while getting something out of the backseat of her car on the night of May 1, 2010. She had been parked near her aunt’s house, where her family was having a party, police said.

Reportedly, the victim was struck by the 38-year-old woman’s Oldsmobile and was tossed into the air. She died at the scene. Police believe that the 38-year-old never even slowed down after hitting the victim.

The victim’s large and close family spent a lot of time after the accident passing out fliers and asking for people’s help in finding the hit-and-run driver.

“It has been a trying time for all of us,” the victim’s cousin said. “It was terrible to think that this person was out there, going on about their life like nothing ever happened.”

Hopefully now the victim’s family is able to sleep a little easier knowing that the driver has been arrested. They might also be able to bring a wrongful death lawsuit against the driver to recover compensation for costs relating to the accident and for pain and suffering.

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer, “Driver charged in woman’s death in 2010,” Allison Steele, 5/26/2011.