Background: The driver of a vehicle speeds in the area of the 7200 block of Elmwood Avenue in Philadelphia, Pa., after allegedly smashing into a pedestrian (WPVI/YouTube). Inset: Talyia Bernice Nesmith (WPVI/YouTube).
A woman in Pennsylvania had just exited a Lyft and was crossing the street when she was plowed into and thrown into a parked vehicle, killing her, authorities say.
The Philadelphia Police Department identified the victim as 29-year-old Talyia Bernice Nesmith. Investigators are searching for a suspect.
On Monday at about 3:30 a.m., Nesmith "had just exited a Lyft vehicle and was attempting to cross the roadway from the south side to the north side" of the 7200 block of Elmwood Avenue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the law enforcement agency told Law&Crime. "The impact caused the pedestrian to be thrown into the rear of a legally parked and unoccupied" car.
The suspect, however, did not stop after the crash, according to police. The vehicle — which officers believe was a black 2020 to 2023 Dodge Charger Hellcat or Scat Pack Wide Body — allegedly continued speeding east and struck another car before driving off once again.
In their plea to the public for help spotting it, officers said the vehicle "may have damage to the passenger side and possible windshield damage. It was last seen traveling eastbound on Elmwood Avenue."
Emergency personnel responded to Elmwood Avenue and brought Nesmith to an area hospital. She was pronounced dead at about 4:05 a.m. that morning.
Lakisha Smith, Nesmith's mother, is grieving a daughter she described as compassionate and loving.
"I just don't understand how someone felt like it was okay to hit my child and keep going," she told local ABC affiliate WPVI. "I just want the person that did this to please turn themselves in … they took the life of a 29-year-old that had so much ahead of her."
A witness whose surveillance footage has been part of the investigation said, "It's difficult to watch." Michael Williams added: "Out of nowhere this car just came blazing down the street and she didn't even have time to react to it."