PHOENIX — Nearly a month after a woman was killed in a hit-and-run, Phoenix police are looking to the public for help in the search for the drivers of two vehicles.
Keenen Rivera had no hesitation when ABC15 asked what happened to Virginia Tarango. He says it's hard to forget what he saw the night of January 29.
”It was bad, I don’t want to explain it because it was bad,” said Rivera standing at the corner of where Tarango was struck.
Phoenix Police say Tarango was riding a bike headed north on Cypress Street.
Tarango attempted to cross the street, that is when the 44-year-old was hit by what police say was a dark-colored sedan or SUV.
”I heard a car screeching and I saw the lady laying on the floor,” said Rivera.
Rivera was among the people who took to the street to try and stop other cars from hitting Tarango.
Phoenix police say she was then hit again by what witnesses say was a white Chevy Tahoe or Cadillac Escalade.
On 1/29/2022, 44- year-old Virginia Tarango was riding a bicycle on 43rd Avenue near Cypress Street when she was struck by a small dark colored sedan or SUV. Then hit by a second vehicle believed to be a white Chevrolet Tahoe or Cadillac Escalade. @PhoenixPolice seeking any info pic.twitter.com/maOgSEk5rc
— Silent Witness (@SilentwitnessAZ) February 16, 2022
Rivera says the area is known for crashes.
”I wasn’t surprised… I have people go through walls all the time,” said Rivera.
”In this case, we are looking for two drivers,” said Sgt. Steve Reaume with Silent Witness.
Despite the two vague vehicle descriptions from witnesses, the lack of surveillance video has become a challenge for investigators to identify either of the drivers that hit Tarango that night.
This is the fifth hit and run Silent Witness has seen in recent months.
Sgt. Reaume says "if you hit someone while driving and stop, charges could be a misdemeanor, but when you drive off – you could now be facing a felony."
”It’s very concerning, does that mean they were impaired and that’s why they didn’t stop? Or were they that obvious to what they were doing? We’re they on their phone? What exactly happened? We won’t know until someone comes forward or that person calls the police and turns themselves in,” said Sgt. Reaume.
Anyone with information is asked to call Silent Witness at 480-WITNESS.
