Emma Kelsoe and Victoria McCall were the victims of a hit-and-run crash in Davie, Florida on the night of February 1. Kelsoe, 80, was killed and McCall, 61, was injured. Kelsoe’s dog, Rondo, was also killed in the crash.

According to the police report, the incident took place at 7 p.m. on Wednesday night east of South Pine Island Road and south of State Road 84. Kelsoe and McCall, who were neighbors, were walking Kelsoe’s dog, Rondo, on a bike lane when a driver veered off the road on SW 18th Street and struck them. Kelsoe reportedly pushed her neighbor out of the way before she was hit.

The crash killed Kelsoe and her dog, and left McCall unconscious. Fire rescue workers rushed McCall to Broward Health Medical Center where she treated for a minor spinal injury and was discharged a few hours later.

The vehicle, which was described by witnesses as a dark-colored Toyota Corolla, never stopped. Witnesses told investigators that the driver looked like a bespectacled man in his 50s with a female passenger. Surveillance video captured from Kelsoe’s home, which is just two doors down the road, shows a dark sedan driving with two people inside. Police are looking to see if excessive speeding was a factor in the crash.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the number of hit-and-run crashes in Florida has remained steady over the years. In 2015, over 92,000 hit-and-run crashes were reported in the state. The majority of these crashes (more than 80 percent) usually only result in property damage, but more than 180 people were killed in such crashes in 2015.

Under Florida Law, a driver involved in a crash must stop. Leaving the scene makes the situation worse. A hit-and-run charge is a felony and if it results in a death, the responsible driver faces a minimum sentence of four years in prison.

McCall’s niece, Kimberly McCall, told news sources that she hopes the driver comes forward. Broward County Police Captain Dale Engle also requested that whoever was responsible to come forward and tell the police what exactly happened. “We believe that this was truly an accident,” said Capt. Engle in a statement.

Sources: 2.3.17 Kelsoe McCall Hit and Run.pdf & Hit and Run – Bad to Worse.pdf