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Grieving family seeks public’s help in finding driver in deadly Montgomery Co. hit-and-run

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Saying they have followed every credible lead, Montgomery County police are asking the public to help them find the driver who struck and killed 61-year-old Hanna Wegayehou last month in Silver Spring.

Montgomery County police Sgt. Elijah Kinser was joined at a news conference Tuesday by members of Wegayehou’s family.

Her son, Nate Tinbite, described Wegayehou as an avid walker and called her a “walking angel.”

“Someone took the person we love most in this world and drove away as if she were nothing,” Tinbite said, urging anyone with information to come forward. “What feels small and uncertain to you could be the piece that brings us answers.”

Wegayehou was struck at roughly 1 p.m. on June 19 while crossing the intersection of Crestmoor Drive and Colesville Road.

Police said the location is in what they call a “high-injury network” with a number of collisions involving cars, not pedestrians.

“Speed seems to be a pretty big factor in that area,” Kinser said.

And while there are traffic cameras in the area of the crash, Kinzer said they are designed to monitor traffic conditions, not capture crimes. Neighboring doorbell cameras have not yielded good video either, because the homes are set on hillsides.

However, Kinser said, some of the best footage was captured by a community member. It shows a dark colored SUV that police believe is a 2009-2014 Lexus RX 350.

Kinser said it’s possible someone has information they may not realize could provide answers to a grieving family.

He also made a direct appeal to the driver.

“If you’re listening — you’ve lived with this for a month. But so has Hanna’s family,” Kinzer said.

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