Police search for suspect in fatal Hamilton crash who fled scene without helping victim
Hamilton police remain on the hunt for a suspect involved in a fatal collision Wednesday morning.
Police said in a Sept. 29 release the male suspect was driving a stolen black GMC Sierra pickup truck around 9:10 a.m. when he ran a stop sign and collided with a white Hyundai sedan at the corner of Balsam and Maplewood avenues.
The suspect abandoned the pickup on the front lawn of a Maplewood home - blocking its entrance - before fleeing east toward Gage Park, police said.
Two neighbours who rushed to the scene after a hearing a loud bang told The Spectator they saw a man gingerly jog away from the truck holding his elbow.
A 51-year-old woman, the driver of the Hyundai, was taken to hospital where she later died.
Police said the suspect left without offering her assistance.
The collision came minutes after police responded to a two-vehicle crash in the area of King Street East and Gage Avenue South - about 700 metres from the intersection of Balsam and Maplewood - which sparked a police chase. The Special Investigations Unit (SIU), which is investigating police involvement in the incidents, said in a release Wednesday the driver of the GMC Sierra is believed to have been involved in both collisions.
The SIU is called in any time a police officer in Ontario is involved in an incident where someone dies, is seriously hurt or there is an allegation of sexual assault.
Four investigators and one forensic investigator have been assigned to the case.
Hamilton police have directed all media queries to the SIU.
In their Wednesday release, Hamilton police urged the suspect to seek legal representation and turn himself in.
He is described as white with slightly darker skin," in his mid-20s to mid-30s, and small and skinny, with dark, shaggy, messy hair. He wore a T-shirt and dark pants at the time of the collisions.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police's collision reconstruction unit at 905-546-4755 or 905-546-4753.
To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or crimestoppershamilton.com.
Sebastian Bron is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach him via email: sbron@thespec.com.