Mounties in Nanaimo are searching in every way and using every means they can to find the driver who struck and killed a 90-year-old woman in Cedar Saturday night.
On Monday, Nanaimo RCMP’s traffic enforcement team returned to the scene of the horrific crash on Cedar Road.
They combed the road and ditches in the daylight to ensure they hadn’t missed any potential evidence that could help them track down the vehicle involved in the fatal hit-and-run.
“One of the main areas they are focusing on is seeing if there are any CCTV cameras in the area from homes or businesses,” said R/Cst. Gary O’Brien with Nanaimo RCMP.
“We’ve had a lot of tips come in. People are willing to provide that to us, so hopefully, that will lead us in a direction. We have asked the public to really be on the lookout for any cars that they see that have front-end damage.”
Police say it was around 8:50 p.m. Saturday when someone driving by saw an unconscious person lying at the edge of Cedar Road, near Bennie Road. Paramedics responded, but despite attempts to revive her, the woman died from her injuries.
Sources tell CHEK News the woman’s shoes were found in the northbound lanes and that it appears the woman and vehicle were both heading northbound when the crash happened.
Police say they are checking on who may have been travelling Cedar Road at the time.
“We know where the watering holes are in Cedar,” said O’Brien. “We’ll be checking with the airport, we’re checking with traffic control. Anybody that was working at that time. We’re checking with shift workers. We’re checking with the mill.”
The area’s regional director says road safety was listed as a top concern when she door-knocked through the community during the last election.
“It affects people’s behaviour, not wanting their kids to walk to school. There’s no sidewalks in our area. It can be very dark, so people can be quite concerned, quite fearful for their safety,” said Jessica Stanley, the Area ‘A’ director with the Regional District of Nanaimo.
Stanley says the province is responsible for maintaining the community’s roads, and she’s constantly calling on the transportation ministry to make improvements. She says the crash is devastating.
“I can’t imagine that the driver is doing very well either, and just to encourage that person to face the music on this scenario because sitting with that guilt is going to eat away at someone as well,” said Stanley.
The victim’s daughter says she isn’t ready to speak publicly about her mother’s death but adds that she’s hoping for answers and that the driver will soon be found.
READ ALSO:
Kendall Hanson
