Local

Police hunt for driver in deadly hit-and-run

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Police are depending on one piece of evidence to track down a driver who hit and killed a woman crossing a North Charlotte street.
 
"At this point the only thing we have is the surveillance footage," said Detective Steve Williams with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Major Crash Unit.
 
At a news conference Friday afternoon, CMPD officials asked anyone who has seen a white Chevrolet Express cargo van seen leaving the scene of the crime to come forward.
 
Around 7 p.m. Thursday, police said the van was on outbound North Tryon Street near Old Concord Road.
 
They said the driver hit a woman as she walked across North Tryon Street and kept driving.
 
"I think that's really bad, it's real sad somebody doesn't have a heart, because if you accidently hit somebody, you at least stop and see is he OK and explain what happened," said Betty Gramling. 
 
Police said the victim was 51-year-old Margaret Rutledge. She'd recently moved from Florida and lived just yards away from the crash in a mobile home community.  
 
Neighbors said she was quiet and lived alone.
 
"Really, I hadn't talked to her. I just seen her walking past, you know," said Gramling.
 
Police were able to use Department of Transportation cameras to trace the van from North Tryon Street and Old Concord Road to Eastway Drive and Central Avenue.
 
They said it doesn't have any side windows. 
 
It doesn't have a roof mount on the top and it's missing the front side Chevrolet bow-tie emblem and the black plastic grill.
 
"We're asking them to call 911 and CrimeStoppers," said Williams.
 
He said Rutledge was wearing dark clothing and wasn't using a crosswalk at the time of the crash. 
 
Police said they haven't talked to any witnesses, so they don't even know what the driver looks like.

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