The Washington State Patrol is turning to the public for help as it works to solve a hit-and-run that left a pedestrian seriously hurt. Troopers put out an appeal asking anyone with information to come forward, hoping that tips from the community will help them track down the driver who fled the scene.
According to troopers, the crash happened on State Route 96 near Elgin Way. The location is directly across from the McCollum Park athletic field, an area familiar to many local residents, which authorities hope will jog the memory of anyone who was nearby at the time.
The State Patrol says a pedestrian was walking in the road when a vehicle hit them. Rather than stopping to help or to report what had happened, the driver simply took off, leaving the injured person behind and turning the collision into a hit-and-run investigation.
The pedestrian was seriously hurt in the crash. That severity has added urgency to the search for the driver, as troopers work to piece together exactly how the collision unfolded and who was behind the wheel of the vehicle that struck the person on the roadway.
Investigators do have one significant lead. There is camera footage that captured the car troopers believe was involved, and they have noted a distinctive detail from it. According to the State Patrol, the vehicle is missing its passenger-side marker light, a clue that could help someone recognize the car.
Troopers are asking anyone who recognizes the vehicle, or who was in the area on the night of the crash, to get in touch. The State Patrol has provided a phone number, 360-757-2008, for tips, encouraging witnesses to come forward as the investigation into the hit-and-run continues.