An early Sunday drive on eastbound I-40 in Raleigh turned deadly when a woman was struck and killed by a vehicle, and the driver took off instead of stopping, according to police. The collision shut down eastbound lanes near the South Saunders Street interchange for nearly five hours while officers documented the scene and cleared the highway.
Raleigh police say the victim, described only as a woman, was hit on the highway and later died from her injuries. Detectives are working to identify both the vehicle and the driver who left the scene, WRAL reported.
Investigators are now asking anyone who may have seen the crash, driven through the area around that time, or captured anything on dash-cam or surveillance video to come forward. Tips can be reported to Raleigh CrimeStoppers at 919-996-1193, or through the Raleigh Police non-emergency line at 919-829-1911. Online reporting options are also available through the Raleigh Police website.
What investigators are saying
Raleigh detectives spent hours canvassing the area around the crash site, photographing debris in the roadway and pulling nearby security video in hopes of catching a glimpse of the striking vehicle. The case remains active and no arrests have been made, according to WRAL.
Police say any seemingly small detail, from a damaged headlight to an unusual vehicle parked in a neighborhood, could help move the investigation forward.
A grim pattern
This is not the first deadly hit-and-run to rock Raleigh overnight this summer. On June 13, a man was killed in a hit-and-run off Buffaloe Road, as reported by The News & Observer. Earlier this week, another overnight I-40 hit-and-run was reported, part of a troubling run of late-night crashes that often leave investigators sifting through grainy footage and scattered car parts.
In these cases, detectives say dash-cam recordings from commuters and surveillance video from nearby businesses are frequently the key to tracking down a suspect vehicle.
Potential charges
Under North Carolina law, drivers involved in a crash are required to stop if there is injury, death, or significant property damage. Failing to remain at the scene when a collision results in death can be prosecuted as a felony. State vehicle statutes allow prosecutors to pursue hit-and-run charges under N.C. Gen. Stat. § 20-166 if evidence shows a driver willfully left the scene, according to the N.C. General Assembly.
Raleigh police are urging anyone with dash-cam or doorbell video from early Sunday on eastbound I-40 near the South Saunders Street interchange to preserve the footage and share it with investigators. The department says the investigation is ongoing and that additional information will be released as new leads come in.
