A hit-and-run accident in the Hillcrest Addition of Fort Smith on Sunday afternoon that resulted in a 69-year-old woman being life-flighted to Little Rock for treatment of injuries is apparently being investigated by the Fort Smith Police Department, although the facts in the case are unclear after the FSPD failed to respond to a request by TIFS for a copy of the incident concerning the matter.
TIFS was first notified late Tuesday night about the incident and sent a request for the incident report to the FSPD public information officer on Wednesday morning. The reply at that time was "the Department is not ready to release" the three-day-old incident report at the time but "the good news is the victim is expected to make a complete recovery".
Three hours later the FSPD released the following "press release":
"Fort Smith, AR —The Fort Smith Police Department is currently investigating a reported hit-and-run involving a pedestrian that occurred in the 1600-1700 block of South 21st Street on Sept. 7. On that day, Officers arrived at the scene where a 69-year-old female was discovered with serious injuries in a driveway.
At one point, the victim was initially transported to a local hospital before being transferred to a facility outside our area for further treatment. Medical staff have indicated that her condition is improving, and she is expected to recover.
Investigators conducted a thorough search of the area at that time, but no video footage of the incident was captured by nearby surveillance systems.
The investigation remains ongoing as we seek to gather more details. We urge anyone with information related to this case to contact the Fort Smith Police Department at 479-709-5000 or 911.
We will continue to monitor the victim’s condition and provide updates as the investigation progresses."
TIFS had learned, prior to the city "press release", the victim was a 69-year-old female who lives in the Hillcrest area and is frequently seen walking her dog in the neighborhood. According to reports from neighbors, the woman was found in the driveway of a home located between South Q and South R Street on South 21st Street shortly before 6AM on September 7.
A Facebook post from a person living in the neighborhood detailed the following on Monday:
“So......how is someone brutally ran over and left in the road and it not be in the news. We have a little neighborhood lady,elderly,that walked her dog everyday, several times a day. No matter, rain, sleet snow it didn't matter, Ms. Linda always to lil Maggie Mae in walks. Saturday morning, around 545 she was struck by a vehicle. The car left her laying in the road. Someone looking out their window saw her lying there. The fire chief, from 1 st responders, took Maggie Mae with him until one of Linda's friends came and got her. She has no family other than 1 cousin. They life fighted her to UAMD in Little Rock and was told she has both ankles crushed, broken legs, broken ribs, shattered shoulders, both and a lacerated liver......it hasn't been in any news out let PERIOD!!!!! SO I called ******* * and they said this was the first they had heard about it. I told them the docs are giving her a 10% chance and if she makes it, she will never walk again. If anyone knows or hears any information about a hit and run Saturday on South 21st in between Qand R streets, Please do the right thing and call the police. Someone needs held accountable for this precious tiny lady. And if everyone would, please ask God for complete healing.”
A person who lives in the neighborhood, speaking only after being guaranteed anonymity for fear of reappraisal, spoke with TIFS on Wednesday about the incident.
"I don't fully understand why this wasn't a priority and a press release on Sunday morning immediately after she was found," said the neighbor. "We had another hit and run today (Wednesday) over off of Grand and from the time it was reported to the police to the time it took to send out a press release was approximately ten minutes."
"Why is the public only being notified of stuff like this when the press gets involved and starts asking questions? ", the citizen continued. "Instead of giving medical updates in an effort to mask their failure to seek public input from the start, you would think the priority would be getting the word out and actually maybe put effort into finding the person responsible."
TIFS will update this story once more information has been obtained.
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