Dorothea Cathell killed in Philadelphia hit and run after errant driver, Michael Harper collides into her while pulling a trolley full of Halloween decorations only to then speed away.
A Pennsylvania man turned himself in to police days after he was named as the suspect wanted in a fatal hit-and-run incident that left a beloved grandmother dead.
Michael F. Harper, 47, turned himself in to police on Monday, days after he allegedly drove his black Infiniti Q50 into 77-year-old Dorothea Cathell in Philadelphia‘s Overbrook section near 54th Street and Lancaster Avenue.
Dorothea Cathell killed during dash for Halloween decorations
Cathell was pushing a shopping cart through an intersection when she was allegedly struck by Harper’s car just on 5.20 p.m, Friday afternoon.
Cathell was rushed to hospital only to be declared dead shortly later, WPVI reported.
At the time of the tragedy, Cathell had been on her way home from a ShopRite run with the shopping cart she normally used for such trips. Cathell’s family members told NBC Philadelphia that the cart was filled with Halloween decorations.
Upon Harper allegedly colliding into Cathell, he reversed before driving off in another direction. Police said Harper dropped off a female passenger at a pizza place after the crash.
The collision led to Harper’s windshield being shattered along with the automobile’s hood dented.
Police released a photo of the damaged car, which they found at an auto shop on Monday. The vehicle was impounded by authorities as part of their investigation.
Growing memorial for beloved 77 year old at site of crash
Later that day, Harper turned himself at the Philadelphia Police Department‘s 1st District headquarters. He now faces several charges in connection with the crash including homicide by vehicle (DUI), homicide by vehicle, accident involving death, recklessly endangering another person, and reckless driving.
‘He took a mother, grandmother, aunt,’ Ralph Cathell, the son of Dorothea told CBS News. ‘Everybody in the neighborhood loved Dorothea Cathell.’
Cathell’s sister, Mary Miles, told NBC Philadelphia, ‘She meant a lot to everybody. To the world, she was just a person, but to her family, she was the world. So knowing what I know about her, it’s just unbelievable that someone would just leave her there.’
Cathell’s crushed cart now sits at a roadside memorial for the beloved grandmother.
