Houston Police say they found the Mercedes believed to have been involved in the hit and run, but no driver.
HOUSTON, Texas — Darla Wiley died last Thursday, just two weeks before her 51st birthday. Houston police say a driver struck her as she walked across Richmond Avenue.
“She didn’t deserve to die the way she did,” said sister Julia Wiley.
She told us the family in New York state had recently been estranged from Darla as she battled mental health issues. But they still cared about her wellbeing and hated to hear that her somewhat tragic life also ended tragically and that the driver who hit her failed to stop.
“It’s not like it was an animal, a wild animal,” said Julia Wiley. “It was a person that you hit and she had family, she has children, she has grandbabies.” “She’s still young.”
According to HPD, investigators located a blue Mercedes Benz believed to have been involved in the crash in a parking lot less than two miles away although the driver was nowhere to be found.
“I can understand if you were scared,” said Wiley. “But we need to know what happened, why would you just not stop?”
Right now, the family is using an online fundraiser to help get Darla’s body back home.
Meanwhile, they’re planning some sort of ceremony on her birthday next Thursday, two weeks after her death.
“We’re all praying that it was very painless and that it wasn’t, that it was quick,” said Wiley.
We’ve learned that police do have a line on the driver involved in this crash.
Potential charges include failure to stop and render aid at the very least.
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