UPDATE (April 1, 2016): The car involved in the fatal hit-and-run was found by police on March 3, 2015, in Coquitlam. In September of last year, investigators apprehended the alleged driver. Sixty-one-year-old Stephen John Elliott has now been charged with failing to remain at the scene of a collision causing death. He will appear in court on Monday.
Previous story:
VANCOUVER – A 73-year-old grandmother has died following a hit-and-run in the Downtown Eastside Wednesday night.
Just before 8 p.m. police say the driver of a car, travelling north on Main Street, struck the woman crossing the street between Cordova and Powell Street. The driver left the scene and the woman was rushed to hospital with serious head injuries, but did not survive.
It is not clear if the woman was in a marked crosswalk at the time of the incident.
Officers have spoken to witnesses and will be looking for any surveillance footage from the area this afternoon.
Inspector Les Yeo with VPD says they have a good description of the vehicle and the driver, but for investigative reasons, that information will not be disclosed at this time.
“To the driver of the vehicle that struck this woman,” says Yeo. “It is only a matter of time before our investigators gather enough evidence needed to identify you. I can’t stress enough that regardless of your reason for leaving the scene of this collision, now is the time for you to do the right thing and turn yourself in.”
Anyone with information about the identity of the victim or who has information in relation to the hit and run is asked to call the VPD Collision Investigation Unit at (604) 717-3012.