Police Identify SUV Driver In Deadly Hit & Run
DENVER (CBS4) - Police have identified the driver of the vehicle they believe was involved in a fatal hit-and-run in Southeast Denver.
An arrest warrant has been issued for Jim Artis Tillmon. Tillmon is believed to be the driver of the SUV that struck and killed a pedestrian on Thursday evening.
Tillmon, 30, is wanted for duty to report an accident involving death, which is a felony.
Police have been searching for Tillmon but had not located him as of Friday evening.
The crash happened Thursday at about 6:07 p.m. on Leetsdale Drive near the intersection with Quebec, close to the Villas at Parker.
A woman, Zewde Ali, was crossing Leetsdale from the south side of the street to the north side when she was struck by a car heading east that apparently veered into the middle lane and the driver drove off.
It's believed Ali, 61, was crossing the street from a bus stop, but she wasn't in a crosswalk.
Ali lived across the street in the Windsor Court apartment complex.
Police said early Friday the vehicle was found parked in the lot of an apartment complex nearby. The vehicle is a 2002 Buick Rendezvous.
Police said the registered owner of the vehicle cooperated fully with the investigation and was not the driver.
Denver Police spokesman Lt. Robert Rock said Thursday investigators were checking into whether Ali shouldn't have been crossing at that part of the road.
"Typically folks are not to cross the street in the mid-block, but that's something we'll be investigating," he said. "She had stopped in the center, turn lane, then a vehicle apparently veered into that lane and struck her."
Tillmon's mother told CBS4 he lives in the Denver metro area. He also has an extensive criminal history and was apparently on probation when the hit and run occurred.
Anyone with more information about the collision or Tillmon's whereabouts is asked to contact Denver police.
