Ottawa residents and drivers near West Hunt Club Road and Merivale Road are being asked to help locate a dark-coloured Ford Escape linked to an Oct. 2 hit-and-run that killed a 21-year-old motorcyclist.
In an Oct. 7 update, Ottawa Police Service said investigators had identified the vehicle as a Ford Escape with front-end damage around the right-side fog light. Police are still working to locate the vehicle, identify its driver and determine the circumstances of the collision.
Investigators also want to speak with someone who was driving a red pickup truck near the collision scene at the time. Police believe that person may have information useful to the investigation.
The pickup driver is being sought as a witness and is not considered a suspect, police said.
Emergency crews responded at 5:56 a.m. on Oct. 2 to a reported collision involving a motorcycle and another motor vehicle near the intersection. The motorcyclist, a 21-year-old woman, was taken to hospital and later died of her injuries.
According to police, the other vehicle left before officers arrived.
The initial police appeal described the vehicle as a dark-coloured SUV that might have visible damage to the right side of its front bumper. The latest update provides a make and model, along with a more specific location of the damage.
Witnesses and camera footage sought
Police have asked residents, motorists and businesses in the block around West Hunt Club Road and Merivale Road to review dashcam, surveillance and doorbell-camera recordings from the time of the collision. Investigators are looking for footage showing the collision, the vehicle or its movements.
Anyone who was in the area at the time, including the red pickup driver, or who has relevant video is asked to contact the Ottawa Police Service Fatal Collision Investigation Unit at 613-236-1222, extension 2345.
Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or crimestoppers.ca.
