By Lt. Chris Lawler, Lakewood Police Department
On Sunday, April 20th 2014, a fatality hit and run accident occurred at approximately 5AM in the 4000 block of 96th Street South in the City of Lakewood. The 19 year old male victim had just been involved in a single car accident where his vehicle had travelled off the main roadway. According to a witness passenger in the victim vehicle, the victim then went into the roadway in what investigators believe was an effort to flag down a passing motorist for assistance. The victim was struck by a vehicle going westbound on 96th Street, which only stopped briefly after the collision. The witness passenger told investigators that he yelled at the driver that he had just hit the victim. The driver then fled the scene without identifying himself or attempting to render aid for the victim. 
The witness described the suspect vehicle as a tan or white Ford Windstar type minivan being driven by a young looking white male and reported seeing at least three other occupants in the fleeing vehicle. The suspect vehicle should have front end damage towards the right front fender/wheel area and possibly undercarriage damage too. Lakewood Traffic Investigators in cooperation with the Metro Collision Response Team Investigated the collision scene and are still working to identify the driver and passengers, along with locating the suspect vehicle. Lakewood PD is asking for the driver and passengers to come forward with their information and to report what happened. If anyone in the public knows anything about this case, they are urged to call the Lakewood Police Department at 253-830-5000 or the Lakewood Tip Line at 253-830-5064. Tips can also be submitted through the Lakewood Police website at… www.cityoflakewood.us/government/departments/police/crime/tips or through Crimestoppers at 253-591-5959 or www.tpcrimestoppers.com/ Please contact Lt. Chris Lawler for additional information. Lt. Lawler can be contacted at the numbers listed below for more information; Office 253.830.5011 Cellular 253.606.6981 Fax 253.830.5069 clawler@cityoflakewood.us