Vehicle in hit-and-run found, police say


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MILLCREEK — Unified police said they've found the vehicle they believe was involved in a hit-and-run accident with a bicyclist Tuesday.

Alert neighbors about two miles from the crash scene discovered the car and called police Thursday.

"It looked a little bit strange, because there was no license plate on it," said Amber Carlston, who took a closer look at the gray Acura TL this morning after it sat in front of her house a couple of days.

Detectives are processing the car for evidence. Police said the car was stolen in Salt Lake two days before the hit-and-run accident on Tuesday.

"The driver-side door looked like it had kind of been picked open or something," Carlston said. "It was my four year-old that was like 'Hey, look at the windshield,' and it was totally smashed."

It was smashed on the passenger side, just as the police had told the public to look out for.

"It was broken, and you couldn't see inside very well," said Piper, Carlston's daughter.

They talked with a neighbor about what they discovered.

"Our neighbor was like, 'We were totally reading the news this morning, and that's the car.' Described it exactly," said Carlston.

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Once they heard that, they called it in.

A 43-year-old woman was hit Tuesday near 3700 South and 2300 East. Investigators said they believe an Acura TL drifted into the shoulder and hit the cyclist. She remained in critical condition with severe head injuries Thursday, said Unified Police Lt. Justin Hoyal.

After the accident, the driver cut through a Fresh Market parking lot near 2300 East and 3900 South where the car almost hit another vehicle, said Hoyal. The car was recorded on the store's video surveillance system.

About 8:40 a.m. Thursday, officers responded to a call of an abandoned vehicle at 4581 S. Aspen Hollow Lane (3065 East). The Acura TL had damage consistent with the auto-bicycle accident, Hoyal said.

The vehicle did not have any license plates, Hoyal said. But investigators were working on tracking down the owner using other methods, such as the VIN number.

Based on the timing of the hit and run, and when the Carlstons first noticed the car, it's possible the driver dumped the car right after the crash.


We're glad that we could call it in, because it was definitely suspicious

–Amber Carlston


"It does have the damage that would be consistent with this accident that we have been investigating," said Lt. Justin Hoyal with the Unified Police Department.

The police said the alleged driver is a white male in his 30s with short, spikey brown hair.

"We're doing everything we can to locate the person that's responsible for this accident," Hoyal said.

Police are not releasing the name of the cyclist because they said they are concerned about her safety while the driver is still free.

"We're glad that we could call it in, because it was definitely suspicious," Carlston said.

Anyone with information on the driver or the incident can call police at 801-743-5862.

Contributing: Pat Reavy

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