A woman was killed Thursday after she was struck by a vehicle in the Three Rivers Meijer parking lot in what authorities say was a hit and run incident.
The Three Rivers Police Department was called to the scene of the hit and run at approximately 1:05 p.m. Thursday, June 18. Upon arrival paramedics from the Three Rivers Fire Department performed life saving measures but were unsuccessful. An accident investigator from the St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department along with evidence techs from the Three Rivers Police Department processed the scene for evidence. A canvas was done of local businesses to obtain surveillance video of the crash.
At this time officers are looking for a black 2015 body style Chevrolet Silverado with a missing tailgate. It was occupied by a male driver and a female passenger.
The name of the victim is being withheld pending notification of the family.
Officers were assisted by the Three Rivers Fire Department, St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan State Police and Constantine Police Department.
Anyone with information should call the Three Rivers Police Department at 269-278-1235 or St. Joseph County Central Dispatch at 269-467-4195.
Watershed Voice spoke with Tara Cameron, 18, of Three Rivers Thursday evening following the incident. Cameron said she heard the vehicle strike the woman, and saw it leave the scene.
“Basically we were loading our car with groceries and we heard a crack, and then we turned around and saw the stopped car,” Cameron said. “We couldn’t see (her) yet because they were in the way, but after the person in the car yelled at the driver that they just hit someone they took off real fast and we saw her laying there. So that’s when I called 911 and my mother ran over to try to help and I was going to. But I had my son so I couldn’t get too close.”
Cameron said she saw “a black (truck) with a missing tailgate” flee the scene, exiting the parking lot headed toward US-131 and turning at the light near Tokyo Steakhouse & Sushi, going south on US-131.
Alek Haak-Frost is executive editor of Watershed Voice. WSV’s Andrew George contributed to this report.
Story updated at 8:50 p.m. with additional information from the Three Rivers Police Department Thursday, June 18.
