A driver struck and killed a 53-year-old woman near Interstate 17 and Indian School Road in Phoenix on Monday night and then took off, leaving investigators searching for answers and the public searching for tips. Jana Stovall was taken to a hospital after the crash and later died, and police say the driver has not been found.
According to FOX 10 Phoenix, Phoenix police responded to the crash at Interstate 17 and Indian School Road around 7 p.m. on Monday. Investigators believe Stovall was crossing the street outside a crosswalk when a westbound car struck her. Police say the driver fled the scene rather than stopping to help or report the collision.
Stovall was rushed to a hospital, where she later died, per the same report. Phoenix police have not released a description of the vehicle or driver involved, and no arrest or citation has been announced in connection with the case.
Police Ask Public for Tips in Ongoing Search
Investigators are now leaning on the public for leads. Anyone with information can call Phoenix police at 602-262-6151, or reach Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS, with Spanish-language tips accepted at 480-TESTIGO, the station notes. The Phoenix Police Department provided the details for the report, but has not indicated whether any suspects have been identified.
A Pattern of Unsolved Pedestrian Deaths in the Valley
Stovall's death adds to a string of recent pedestrian fatalities across the Phoenix area that have left drivers unaccounted for. Earlier this month, a woman identified as Jennifer Knephfler, 40, died after being hit while crossing Van Buren Street in a crosswalk in east Phoenix, according to Arizona's Family. Investigators in that case believed a possibly dark-colored truck heading east struck Knephfler before the driver fled; she was taken to a hospital, where she later died.
In a separate case, a vehicle struck two pedestrians at 67th Avenue and Broadway Road, killing one and sending the other to the hospital with minor injuries, 12 News reported. Authorities in that investigation said the vehicle involved was a 2011-2014 Granite Crystal Metallic Gray Dodge Charger that may be missing its front driver-side mirror assembly, with damage near the driver-side bumper, hood and front fender. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office asked anyone with information on that crash to call 602-876-TIPS or 602-876-1011.
Statewide Numbers Offer Mixed Picture
Broader trend data hints at a complicated picture for pedestrian safety in Arizona. The Arizona Department of Transportation has reported that crash data from 2025 shows a third straight year of declining traffic fatalities and crashes statewide. Yet the agency also recorded 1,999 pedestrian crashes in Arizona in 2025 — fewer than the year before — while bicyclist crashes rose to 1,640, an increase from 2024. It is not known whether Stovall's death factors into any specific citywide count, and the City of Phoenix separately maintains its own collision summaries tracking pedestrian crashes and when and where they tend to occur.
For now, the driver who struck Stovall remains unidentified, and police have released no further details about the vehicle involved. Anyone with information about the crash is urged to come forward through the tip lines Phoenix police have made available.
