Yeadon police say the woman wanted for a shocking hit-and-run captured on surveillance video will turn herself in on Friday.
On Thursday, June 9, around 10:30 p.m., police responded to a car accident at the 7-11 store on Church Lane in Yeadon.
Police say that 24-year-old Gejea Ejeta, an employee at the store, was struck by a car and thrown through the front of the building. Surveillance video captured the entire incident.
The video shows a Dodge Caliber park in front of the 7-11. The female driver and a male passenger then get out of the car and walk to the side of the store.
The video shows the two go back into the car several minutes later. The car is then seen backing up and then speeding forward toward the store, striking another car that was entering a parking spot.
The car careens off the other vehicle and accelerates over the curb, striking Ejeta who happened to be standing outside. Ejeta is seen flying through the front window as the car crashes into the store.
Another passenger in the car, a woman named Tyhese Pitts, is shown getting out of the car and walking around casually, paying no mind to Ejeta. She then gets back into the car, which begins to back out.
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As it continues backwards, the male passenger falls out of the car and is almost run over. He gets back into the car and the vehicle flees the scene.
Ejeta, an Ethiopian immigrant who speaks little English, was taken to the hospital where he was treated for his injuries. Though Ejeta is recovering well, he’s still not healthy enough to return to work.
Police, having identified her from the video, brought in Tyhese Pitts for questioning. They say that she told police that the driver was 32-year-old Willaisha Rankins, a nurse from Upper Darby. Pitts was then released.
“At this point we’ve been unable to contact her and have her in for questioning, said Det. Sgt. David Splain of the Yeadon Police.
“It would be my recommendation that Ms. Rankins does come into the police department as soon as possible and deal with this problem.”
Police recovered the car on Wednesday in Philadelphia. Rankins still hasn't been found however.
If you have any information on this incident, call Detective Splain at 610-259-1228.
