Hit-and-run driver launches woman 200 feet out of shoes, leaves her for dead

A woman was launched more than 200 feet out of her shoes as the driver who struck her along a Northeast Philadelphia street just kept going, Philadelphia police said.

Medics and police officers rushed to the 4800 block of Levick Street just before 2:30 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, to find a woman with trauma throughout her body on the street, Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said. Medics pronounced her dead a short time later.

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A witness in another vehicle told investigators they saw a dark-colored SUV speeding westbound "at a very high rate of speed" down Levick Street as it slammed into the woman -- who police couldn't identify -- as she crossed Levick Street at Edmund Street, Small said.

"Her body was clearly launched a distance of about 200 feet in a westbound direction," Small said. "She was hit with such force that she was knocked out of both of her sneakers."

Neighbors on Levick Street said they were startled by the sound at 2:30 a.m. Kate Simpkes told NBC10 that she ran out of her front door to see what was going on and was met with a tragic scene.

"I went up and I seen them like covering her and it was horrible. She was all scrunched up," Simpkes said. "Was horrible."

Simpkes said that she thinks more police presence is necessary for the safety of her community.

Broken car parts and pieces could be seen marked on the street after the crash.

Police found video from a nearby home that showed the aftermath of impact with the SUV moving fast and the woman's body coming to rest on the ground, Small said.

Philly 311 has received at least two requests so far in 2024 for traffic calming requests along this stretch of Levick Street, according to public records.

The search for the driver continued Friday morning as police continued to gather evidence.

Investigators asked anyone with information is asked to call the police Crash Investigation Division at 215-685-3181. Police said people can also call the tip line at 215-686-8477 or submit info online.

The deadly prevalence of hit-and-runs in Philadelphia

This was one of two deadly hit-and-runs in Philadelphia overnight as a man was struck and killed while crossing a West Philadelphia street.

At least 45 pedestrians have died so far this year in the city, according to public police information. More than half of those have been hit-and-runs.

It's increasingly more common for people to flee the scene.

Prior to the COVID pandemic, hit-and-runs only accounted for one out of every four pedestrian-involved deadly crashes. Both last year and now this year, it is up to one out of every two.

Police have only made three arrests in pedestrian-related fatalities this year. Since 2019, police have only made arrests in about 11% of these crashes.