Thursday, August 07, 2008
Published Thursday, May 15, 2008 in Local
Photo by Jeffrey Leo
The Thursday morning victim of a hit-and-run accident was taken by air ambulance to Atlanta Medical center, where she remained in surgery Thursday afternoon and was listed in critical condition.
Woman critically injured in hit-and-run accident
By Amy Lott
The Times-Herald
Officials with the Coweta County Sheriff's Office Eastside Precinct Traffic Unit say a 38-year-old Newnan woman was found severely injured in a ditch beside Poplar Road early Thursday morning, the victim of an apparent hit and run by an unknown driver.
According to Lt. John LaChance, Vallery Phifer was walking between Chesnut Drive and Morris Road around 5:15 a.m. when she was struck by a foreign-made SUV or large truck thought to be a 2003 or newer model. Neighbors of Phifer's nearby residence said they heard a loud noise around that time. "We believe that was the accident," LaChance said.
When someone came to give those same neighbors a ride around 6:20 a.m., the witnesses discovered Phifer lying by the road and notified the authorities. LaChance said the victim - who sustained serious trauma from the waist up - was taken by air ambulance to Atlanta Medical center, where she remained in surgery Thursday afternoon and was listed in critical condition.
LaChance said there was no indication that the driver applied the brakes or stopped the automobile, and no calls about the accident have been received. The hood of the vehicle involved should be extremely damaged on the right front hood and fender, he said. It should also have a broken bug deflector shield and missing passenger side mirror.
Charges for the person or persons involved in the hit and run will depend upon the outcome of Phifer's surgery, LaChance said.
Authorities are urging anyone with information on this crime to call the Eastside Precinct Traffic Unit at 770-254-8922 or the main Coweta County Sheriff's Office at 770-253-1502.