South Philadelphia

Hit-and-Run Driver Strikes, Kills Woman in South Philly

Savun So was crossing the street along the 600 block of Oregon Avenue around 5:40 p.m. Sunday when she was struck by a silver SUV, according to investigators

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Police said Tuesday they believed they had found a driver who car struck and killed a woman and then fled the scene in South Philadelphia over the weekend.

The woman -- initially said by police to be in her 60s, but later identified as 43-year-old year-old Savun So -- was crossing the street along the 600 block of Oregon Avenue around 5:40 p.m. when she was struck by a silver SUV at a high-rate of speed, according to investigators.

The driver of the SUV continued eastbound on Oregon Avenue, police said. 

Medics would pronounce So dead a short time later. 

Albert Levonchuck lives across the street from So, her husband Jason, and their children.

"To see Jason's face last night and what he was going through, not knowing where she was, calling around, 'Where is she?' Just terrible," Levonchuck said.

Several cameras captured the deadly incident and witnesses told police what they saw. Police later released a surveillance image of the suspected hit-and-run vehicle on Monday.

A surveillance photo of the suspected hit-and-run vehicle.

"If you make the decision to leave a scene you make the decision to commit a crime," Philadelphia Police Capt. Mark Overwise said.

Police on Tuesday said they had recovered the 2004 Volkswagen Golf they believe was involved in the Oregon Avenue hit-and-run. Police said they no longer were looking for the driver. No charges were announced.

The incident was one of two deadly hit-and-run crashes in Philadelphia on Sunday.

A man in his mid-30's was riding a bike along the 1900 block of North Howard Street at 8:33 p.m. when he was struck by a white box van which fled the scene northbound on Howard Street.

The man was pronounced dead at the scene by responding medics at 8:45 p.m.

The number of deadly hit-and-run crashes in Philadelphia rose from 21 in 2021 to 31 in 2022. So far this year, there have been three in the city.

Philadelphia Police offered $10,000 rewards for information leading to an arrest in either of Sunday's hit-and-run crashes.

If you have any information, please call Philadelphia Police.

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