4 people inside SUV that fatally struck woman in Germantown ran straight to police department: authorities
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A tragic crash left a woman dead in Germantown late Thursday night. Police say she was struck while walking on the sidewalk. Initially, police were calling this a hit-and-run because the driver and three passengers bailed out of the vehicle after hitting the woman but Eyewitness News has learned that all four of the people in the SUV went straight to the police department to report the crash.
This deadly crash is no longer considered a hit-and-run.
It happened on Greene Street around 11 p.m. Thursday. According to witnesses, a white Chevrolet SUV was driving north when it suddenly veered into oncoming traffic, jumped the curb and ran over a utility pole.
Police say the SUV then hit a woman who was walking on the sidewalk, dragging her about 15 feet. She was pronounced dead on the scene.
Police say the victim didn't have a chance due to the force of impact.
"The airbags did deploy, more than likely from striking that utility pole because the utility pole is completely broken off the base and then about 10 to 12 feet above, it's also broken in a second location and the upper part of the utility pole is still hanging by the wires," Chief Inspector Scott Small said. "So, the electric company is on the scene right now rendering this utility pole, as well as the wires, many wires that it's attached to, they're going to render it safe, do what they have to do to repair any damage."
Police say the victim was in her 40s or 50s. She may have worked in the medical field because she was wearing scrubs. They have an idea of who she is, but they're still working to confirm her name.
No further information is available at this time.
