FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - Police have located the vehicle connected to a hit-and-run in Fort Lauderdale that left a woman hospitalized with severe injuries.
Fort Lauderdale Police sent out a photo of the newer-model white Ford Mustang allegedly involved in the incident, Monday.
“They have the car,” Jennifer Hessley, the victim’s sister, said. “The pieces match. They had the information about this car and were that aware and that attentive, and for whatever miraculous reason, kept that in the back of their mind, saw that car, thought about it, connected the dots and then took action on it.”
According to police, Donald McCalla, a Broward Sheriff’s Office investigator, was conducting an unrelated child protective services investigation when he noticed the car, including its passenger-side damage.
The photo shows the Mustang with heavy damage to its right-front fender, and the vehicle also appears to be missing its passenger-side mirror.
According to police, the vehicle allegedly struck Lynn Hessley as she was crossing A1A near Fort Lauderdale Beach just before 11 p.m. on July 3. She has since undergone surgery at Broward Health Medical Center and is recovering from brain injuries and broken bones.
Hessley, described by family as a dog lover, continues to recover after celebrating her 40th birthday at the Fort Lauderdale hospital last Friday.
Since the incident, Hessley’s sisters have been handing out fliers hoping that will lead to a tip.
“It’s been a rollercoaster,” Hessley said. “It’s like you want to believe and you want to have hope and you want to stay positive, but then, you also kind of prepare yourself.”
Although officers have located the vehicle, they said they do not have any information on the driver.
“We are ecstatic that they have the car, and we think that’s going to be pivotal to Lynn’s recovery and, you know, closure and her ultimately wrapping her head around what’s happened,” Hessley said.
McCalla has since received a commendation letter from Interim Fort Lauderdale Police Chief Karen Dietrich for discovering the vehicle.
If you have any information on this hit-and-run, call Broward County Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $3,000 reward.
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