Officers investigating a fatal fail-to-stop collision in Dorchester that claimed the life of a woman are issuing CCTV images of what is believed to be the vehicle involved.
Police were called at 7.46pm on Wednesday 27 December 2017 to reports of a collision between a pedestrian and a car on The Grove.
The 39-year-old female pedestrian from Dorchester was taken to Dorset County Hospital, but she sadly died from the injuries she sustained.
Her family have today named her as Erika Prisacaru. She leaves behind her six-year-old son Andrei who is now being cared for by relatives. Erika’s distraught family continues to be supported by specially-trained officers.
Inspector Joe Pardey, of the traffic unit, said: “Following detailed enquiries we believe we have identified a vehicle that was in The Grove at the time of the collision. This is a dark-coloured convertible Audi A3 and may have been driven by a black man. The car was noticeably dirty.
“As part of our investigations we have established that this vehicle left Station Road in Brewery Square at around 7.40pm, was in The Grove at the time of the collision and then returned to the Brewery Square area at 7.55pm.
“I am releasing CCTV images of the car in the hope that someone recognises it and can help us identify the driver. Did you see this vehicle, or a similar car, in either The Grove or Brewery Square areas at the relevant times on Wednesday 27 December? If so, please contact Dorset Police.
“It is possible that the owner of this car is local or they may have been visiting the Dorchester area over the festive period. If you know someone who drives a similar car and has been acting suspiciously since the collision, please call us.
“A little boy has been left without a mother as a result of this collision and I would again appeal directly to the driver to please do the right thing and come forward. It is imperative we speak to you to establish what happened that night.”
A 24-year-old man from Dorchester, 36-year-old man from Piddlehinton and a 43-year-old man from Bristol who were arrested in relation to the incident were established to have not been involved in the collision and were released without charge.
In a statement, Erika’s family said: “On Wednesday 27 December 2017 Erika Prisacaru – much loved daughter of Maria and loving mother of six-year-old Andrei – was sadly hit by a car on The Grove, Dorchester.
“The car driver did not stop and left Erika seriously injured, lying in the road. She was taken to hospital but sadly died of her injuries.
“Words cannot describe how we feel. Our lives are destroyed and we feel empty and without hope.
“We please ask the driver, or whoever knows who the driver is, to do the right thing and contact the police. We ask for privacy at this time of grief and mourning.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk, via email [email protected] or by calling 101, quoting incident number 3:315. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
