Teen girl killed in hit-and-run in Wilmington; video shows moments before tragedy
Video shows moments before teen girl fatally struck by car
Surveillance video captures the horrific moments before police say 15-year-old Sa’riyah Patterson was fatally hit by a car while she was crossing a street in Wilmington.
WILMINGTON, Del. - A teenage girl has become the victim of a deadly crash in Wilmington early Monday morning.
Wilmington Police say charges are pending after a car struck and killed the 15-year-old girl and drove off.
What we know:
The victim was found by police near Maryland Avenue and Lower Oak Street just after 5 a.m.
She was rushed to a local hospital in critical condition, but later succumbed to her injuries.
Police have identified the victim as 15-year-old Sa’riyah Patterson.
Monday afternoon, Wilmington police shared a brief update to say that the vehicle involved in the incident had been recovered in Bear and that the driver has been located.
Surveillance video provided to FOX 29 shows Patterson walking down Maryland Avenue when she attempts to cross towards Lower Oak Street at just about 5 a.m.
The video then appears to show a car speeding in the opposite lane, striking her.
Investigators say the striking vehicle drove off, but they later recovered it, and the driver, in Bear, Delaware, which is about eight miles away.
What they're saying:
"Whenever we try to cross this road, you feel like your life is in your hands," said Joel Amin of Amin Plumbing, who owns property and works in the area. "It feels like you’re on a Manhattan street, because they speed through here left and right, and it’s very difficult to cross. I can definitely imagine why someone got hit, everyone’s in a rush."
While she did not cross in a crosswalk, neighbors say it is common for people to cross Maryland Avenue throughout the day, and it has become increasingly dangerous.
Amin says he is hoping for a more visible police presence to deter speeding.
"People do need to slow down and be careful and think about other people instead of getting to their job, or the other things they’re doing, another 15 seconds earlier," he says. "Life is very precious, I’m a God-fearing person and I really think it’s a shame a young life was cut short so early."
What you can do:
Wilmington Police are asking anyone with additional information, video, or if you were a witness, to contact them.
The Source: Information from this article was provided by the Wilmington Police Department.