Help detectives find driver in hit-and-run death

LANCASTER – It’s been more than seven weeks since a Lancaster mother of four was struck by a car as she crossed Avenue L, near the intersection of 32nd Street West. Still, authorities are no closer to finding the driver who fled the scene, leaving 34-year-old Simone Walker to die – which she did, six days later.

“We have no workable information even as to the make or model and color of the vehicle,” said Detective Richard Dailey of the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station.

Officials are turning to the public for help. At a press conference Thursday morning at Lancaster Sheriff’s Station, detectives asked for the public’s assistance in identifying the motorist involved in the collision. They also formally announced a $10,000 reward authorized by the County Board of Supervisors in exchange for information leading to the apprehension and/or conviction of the person responsible for the hit-and-run felony that resulted in the death of Simone Walker.

“She was thrown a significant distance from the vehicle and left broken and bleeding in the street by this calloused driver who drove off without rendering aid or summoning assistance on her behalf,” said Captain Pat Nelson of the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station. Detectives have obtained surveillance video from neighboring stores taken at the time of the March 19 collision.

The footage, which was captured around 7:43 p.m., shows Walker and another female standing near the southeast corner of 32nd Street West and Avenue L waiting for traffic to clear on the high-speed roadway, Dailey said. The posted speed limit is 50 miles per hour. Walker and the woman were attempting to cross northbound on Avenue L, and the area was dark with ambient lighting, Dailey said.

“The video shows that they got halfway across the roadway, and then they went out of the footage of the video,” Dailey said.

Seconds after, Walker was struck by an unknown vehicle that was traveling eastbound on Avenue L. The second lady was walking a few steps in front of Walker and had already reached a point of safety by the time Walker was hit, Dailey said. The lady heard the sound but could not turn in time to see the vehicle.

“By that time, the vehicle was so far eastbound down the roadway that obviously she would not be able to identify a license plate number for us,” Dailey said.

But other motorists in the area must have seen something, detectives believe.

“There was a moderate amount of traffic on the roadway that evening and so, yes, I’m perplexed as to why someone could not provide information as to the identification of this vehicle,” Dailey said.

The surveillance video also shows pedestrians in the immediate area of the collision, whom detectives are hoping to interview, as well.

At Thursday’s press conference, Walker’s distraught family members pleaded with the public for assistance in bringing the hit-and-run driver to justice.

“We just don’t understand, why would somebody just hit her and leave her to die in the middle of the street like that?” said Walker’s sister, Michulae Walker. “Somebody please, say something. Let us have some type of closure. Let her kids be able to go to sleep at night.”

Walker leaves behind four children, Troy, 16, Noah, 13, and twins Jayda and Jaylin, 9.

“It is just unconscionable that somebody would drive away and leave her lying in the streets, and we definitely will not rest until that driver is in custody,” said Captain Nelson.

Anyone with information on this hit-and-run collision is urged to contact Sergeant Jennings or Detectives Politano or Dailey at the Lancaster Sheriff’s Station at 661-940-3814. Be sure to refer to Report No. 013-04955-1192-470.

A memorial website created by relatives of Walker can be found here.

Previous related stories:

$10k reward offered in deadly hit and run

Family pleads for closure in hit-and-run death

Investigators seek help finding hit-and-run driver

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