Police Charge Man in Center City Hit-and-Run That Killed a Mom, Injured Her Child

A mother died from her injuries after she and her 8-year-old daughter were struck by a speeding hit-and-run driver in Center City Philadelphia Tuesday night, police said. 

On Thursday, police named the person they say was behind the wheel of the Jeep Liberty that struck and killed the mother while she was walking with her child.

Dominique Murphy, a 37-year-old from West Philadelphia, was charged with involuntary manslaughter, homicide by vehicle, aggravated assault by vehicle, accident involving death/injury, simple assault, reckless endangerment, reckless driving and careless driving, police said.

It was unclear if Murphy had an attorney who could comment on his behalf.

Shortly after 10 p.m. Tuesday, a police officer spotted a dark gray Jeep speeding the wrong way on JFK Boulevard near City Hall, investigators said. The officer followed the vehicle and notified other officers. It was last seen near 13th and Filbert streets.

"At this time they did not know why the vehicle was traveling at a high rate of speed with its headlights off," Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small said.

Officers then "clearly saw" the Jeep speeding westbound on Arch Street from 8th Street, police said. They followed the vehicle as well. 

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At the same time, a 38-year-old woman and three girls -- ages 8, 10 and 11 -- were walking near the Trader Joe's at 13th and Arch streets, police said. As they were walking, the speeding Jeep struck the woman and her 8-year-old daughter, according to investigators.

On Wednesday, officials said, two of the children were able to avoid being struck by the vehicle.

One witness told police the woman appeared to try and push the children out of the way as the Jeep came speeding toward them. 

Police said the impact knocked the woman out of her shoes and she was launched 20 feet.

The driver of the Jeep continued driving after the crash, investigators said. 

Police immediately began to render aid to the woman and the injured child, Small said.

The woman was unconscious and bleeding, suffering severe head trauma. The girl that was struck suffered internal injuries and head trauma, police said.

The woman and the children were taken to hospitals. Two children did not need treatment and were not injured, but were shaken by what happened, police said.

The woman -- who has yet to be named -- underwent surgery at a nearby hospital. She was pronounced dead at the hospital at 1:23 p.m. on Wednesday.

Other witnesses said they heard the children referring to the woman as “mom,” leading police to believe she is the mother of the three kids.

"We believe it's the mother and three of her children who were crossing Arch Street when they were struck by this Jeep," Small said.

Debris from the hit-and-run vehicle as well as the shoes the woman and children were wearing were left at the scene of the crash.

"They were hit with such force and such speed that they were launched out of their footwear," Small said.

Police said they would look at cameras at the intersection of Broad and Arch streets as well as cameras from nearby businesses as they search for the hit-and-run vehicle, which they described as a dark gray Jeep Liberty with front-end damage. 

By Wednesday afternoon, police had found a vehicle they believed could be involved -- NBC10's cameras captured it being towed away. They also said they had a person of interest in custody.

They then announced charges against Murphy Thursday.